The Camera Eye
by johnny3gud
Summary: When our heroes receive a dream vacation as a reward for their efforts in saving Kalos, Serena gets an extra two weeks with Ash before they part ways forever. Time is running out for her to tell him how she feels, but she never expected that the biggest obstacle in her way would be anything other than being hopelessly in love.
1. Grand Designs

**Author's Note:** Cover art provided by the spectacular DaDonYordel on DeviantArt. Used with permission.

* * *

The Camera Eye

Chapter One - Grand Designs

Serena felt like the morning was passing in slow motion.

Her journey was coming to an end. Only today and the day after remained, and then everyone would go their separate ways. Clemont and Bonnie would return to the gym, right here in Lumiose City. Ash would return to Kanto. And then, Serena would be alone.

There was something in the air that morning which made Serena think that everyone else felt the same way she did. Maybe it was only wishful thinking, but she saw signs everywhere. Maybe it was the way Clemont swept the pieces of his latest failed invention into the trash bin, rather than attempting to repair it. Maybe it was the way Ash picked over his food at breakfast, unwilling to finish it. Maybe it was the way Bonnie took great care to neatly fold her socks when they were packing up their room at the Pokémon Center.

It felt like the end.

It was with few words and heavy hearts that they discussed the agenda for the day.

"What's the plan today, Clemont?" Ash asked.

"The gym still needs a few more minor repairs, I think," said Clemont. "I thought we could stop by our dad's shop to pick up some parts on the way."

"Sounds good."

And that was it. The last two weeks had passed in what felt like no time at all, a whirlwind of activity every day as they helped to rebuild the damaged areas of Lumiose City. The aftermath of the Team Flare attack had dominated the headlines ever since. If there was anything good to come out of it, Serena thought, it was that Clemont was getting some much-deserved recognition in the news for his role in assisting with the cleanup as Lumiose's gym leader.

Despite all the good they were doing, every day brought her closer to leaving Ash. Soon, they would be apart again, maybe forever this time, and without ever telling him her feelings. She had failed every day of their journey so far, and the right time wasn't coming now. With the media attention surrounding their group, it was impossible. Reporters confronted Ash at least once a day in an attempt to get an inside scoop on what really happened. It was yet another annoyance on their steady march to the end.

As such, it caught Serena by surprise when Nurse Joy stopped them on their way out of the Pokémon Center.

"Excuse me! You're Serena, aren't you?"

The group stopped. Serena walked up to the front desk.

"Yes, I am. Is there a problem?"

"Oh, no, not a problem," said Nurse Joy. "Actually, I have a delivery for you. It was left for you overnight."

Nurse Joy reached into one of the drawers at her desk and removed an envelope from it. She handed it to Serena.

Serena looked over the envelope. It was made of a thick, heavy sort of paper, the kind which gave it a feeling of importance. There was no return address of any kind, nor any markings at all which could identify the sender. There was only one word, _Serena_ , written neatly in cursive on the front.

"Do you know who left it here?"

"I'm afraid I don't," said Nurse Joy. "All I can tell you is that it was a young woman. I didn't recognize her, and she didn't leave her name."

Serena stared at the envelope. Maybe whatever was inside would say something about who sent it.

"How strange. Thank you, though."

"You're quite welcome," Nurse Joy said with a bow.

Serena returned to the group and was met with curiosity.

"What's that?" said Ash.

"Is it a letter?" said Bonnie.

"It certainly looks like a letter," said Clemont. "Who is it from?"

"I wish I knew," Serena said, holding the envelope up for them all to see. "The only thing written on it is my name."

"That just means you've got to open it to find out!" said Ash.

"That's what I was thinking, too!" said Serena. "Let's see…"

Serena worked her finger under the flap of the envelope and tore it open across the top. Inside, she found a rather formal piece of stationery with a lengthy, neatly-written message on it.

Serena's eyes went wide as she read it.

 _Serena,_

 _It has come to my attention that you and your friends Ash, Clemont, and Bonnie not only played a significant role in stopping Team Flare's attack on Lumiose City but also have committed your time since the attack to assisting those in need and helping the city recover. It is my understanding that the four of you risked your lives and endured many hours of hard work not out of hope for some personal gain, but out of generosity and selflessness._

 _Your heroic deeds for the good of Kalos have not gone unappreciated, and now that the threat has passed, it is my honor to extend to you a token of gratitude. You will find enclosed four round-trip train tickets to Monego City, and a voucher for a two-week, all-expense-included stay in my personal suite at the Grand Monego Hotel and Resort. On behalf of all of Kalos, please enjoy a well-deserved vacation._

 _-Diantha_

Ash peeked over Serena's shoulder.

"What does it say?"

"What does it say, what does it say?" Bonnie said, bouncing on her toes.

Serena lowered the letter and stared at everyone else, astonished.

"I can't believe it," she said.

"Could we see it, perhaps?" said Clemont.

Serena handed the letter to Clemont. Clemont adjusted his glasses, cleared his throat, and read the letter aloud.

When Clemont finished, Ash and Bonnie stared at him, stunned. All Serena could do was shake her head.

"Are you joking?" said Ash.

Clemont shook his head.

"I am quite pleased to tell you that no, I am not. See for yourself."

Clemont held up the letter for everyone to see. Diantha's signature adorned the bottom of it.

"Look at that!" said Ash, pointing to the top of the letter. "It really is from Diantha!"

If the signature wasn't official enough, the letterhead confirmed it. An ornate symbol decorated the top of the paper. It was Diantha's personal stationery.

"It's no wonder there was no return address," said Clemont. "You wouldn't want someone writing back for an offer like this if it fell into the wrong hands! Diantha must have had an assistant deliver it."

As the pieces fell into place in Serena's mind, she dug deeper into the envelope. As promised, there were four train tickets and a voucher enclosed.

Bonnie was bouncing around the lobby.

"Oh yay, oh yay, we get to go to on vacation!"

"I suppose we do," Clemont said, taking a glance at both Ash and Serena. "That is, as long as everything is in order, with your flight and your mothers expecting you and all."

The wave of exhilaration which was washing over Serena broke and crashed. It was too good to be true. Her mother would never believe this. Ash would have to cancel his flight home and find another one. Even Clemont and Bonnie's dad might not let them go. This was too much, too fast. A fun idea, but not a realistic one.

Serena looked at Ash. Her eyes met his, and he blinked a few times. Serena could see that something was going on inside his head, but she couldn't tell what.

Was he thinking the same thing she was? Was he also thrilled that their time together didn't have to end yet? She had to know.

"What do you think, Ash?"

Ash scratched the back of his head and grinned.

"Let me give my mom a call," he said.

Serena watched him walk away. It wasn't the response she wanted. She knew she would have to do the same. She sighed, then shrugged at Clemont.

"I guess I need to make a call home, too."

* * *

The call was an awkward one. It wasn't that Serena was going to be away for a few days longer - after all, after this long away from home, what difference did a few more days make? Instead, it was that her mother was suspicious of the story. No amount of holding Diantha's stationery up to the camera seemed to convince her of its legitimacy, but after a long argument, she acquiesced.

For Ash, his call was similar, although his mother's opposition was to how long he had already been away. Serena stepped in and showed his mom the letter from Diantha. Looking rather disappointed, she agreed to go to the trouble of changing Ash's flight home.

As for Clemont and Bonnie's dad, a quick call to his shop was all the convincing he needed.

When the phone calls were all completed, Serena's hopes returned. This was happening. Two weeks at a resort with Ash. There was still a chance. It wasn't over.

The direction of her day had changed so much so quickly that it felt like no time passed at all before they boarded the train.

Before she knew it, Serena was handing the train tickets to the others and stepping aboard. As she waded her way up the crowded aisle between the seats, she berated herself for not checking to make sure she and Ash had tickets for the same row.

They traveled from car to car, checking the placards above the seats. At last, she found a match.

"Here it is!" she said. "This is my seat, the one on the inside, I think."

Bonnie scowled as she checked her ticket.

"This isn't my row," she said.

"That's because we're in the row in front of this one," Clemont said, ushering Bonnie forward. "I think Ash has the other seat in this row."

"But I wanted to sit with Serena!"

Serena looked at Ash. Without a word, Ash looked at his ticket, found the number on the seat, and then met eyes with Serena. He smiled. Serena cheered internally.

Bonnie continued to grumble, and Serena saw the seats in front of her wobble as they became occupied. Next to her, Ash took a seat, and Pikachu climbed down from his shoulder into his lap. For a moment, all was quiet, but then the train began to move, and Pikachu scurried across the armrest dividing the two seats and settled into Serena's lap instead. He looked out the window.

Ash reached over, and for a moment, Serena's heart fluttered at the fleeting thought that the touch might be intended for her. Instead, Ash scratched Pikachu behind the ears and then settled comfortably into his seat.

Time passed in silence for a while. Outside the window, the urban landscape of Lumiose City gave way to farmland and patches of forest. Serena spent the idle moments lost in thought. There was something unusual happening. Something different. It was strange for Ash to have nothing to say for such a long time. He also seemed lost in thought.

After nodding off to sleep for a short while and waking up to find things the same, Serena broke the silence.

"You're quiet today," she said.

Ash turned to look at her.

"Yeah, I guess I am," he said. He smiled and rubbed the back of his neck. "So are you."

Serena, somehow, found herself unprepared for such an obvious reply. She stumbled over her own words before she spoke.

"I'm… a bit overwhelmed by all of this, you know?" she said. "Today has really taken me by surprise."

Ash nodded.

"Yeah, me too."

Serena wanted to tell him that she had been dreading the end of their journey together and couldn't believe their amazing luck to be able to spend more time with each other, but that wasn't what came out of her mouth.

"I can't believe we're actually going to this place."

"Do you mean…"

Ash trailed off as he reached into his pocket. He pulled out his ticket and searched for the name of their destination, but Serena spoke for him.

"Monego City," she said.

"Yeah, that's it!" Ash said, pointing at the name on the ticket. "I've never heard of the place."

"You haven't?"

"Nope! Never."

Serena tilted her head.

"I'm surprised," she said. "It's one of the most glamorous cities in the world. It's a world-famous tourist destination."

"Maybe it's world-famous here in Kalos, but not in Kanto."

Serena snorted as she held back a laugh.

"That's not how being world-famous works! If something is world-famous in Kalos, it's world-famous in Kanto, too!"

Ash laughed.

"Okay, true," he said. "I still haven't heard of it before."

Serena pursed her lips.

"Maybe I was wrong when I said it was _world_ -famous," she said. "It's still well-known, though! You've probably seen it on TV or in movies before and didn't even know it. Here-"

Serena reached down into her bag and pulled out her navigator tablet. She thumbed through a few menu screens.

"Take a look," she said. She passed the tablet to Ash. On the screen were several images of the skyline of a coastal city, a mountain looming over it in the background.

There were no signs of recognition on Ash's face, and he shook his head. Serena let out an exasperated sigh.

"Doesn't look familiar to me," said Ash.

"I swear it's a famous place!"

"I believe you," Ash said, passing the tablet back to her. "I probably just never paid attention before."

Serena flicked her way through a few more menu screens. There was so much Ash had never paid attention to before.

"Maybe you'll recognize it once we get there."

"Maybe. I dunno, though. I'm not very good at recognizing things."

Serena was in the middle of placing her tablet back in her bag. She paused as a nerve twitched in her neck. Ash's statement was either meant as a hint or was lacking self-awareness to the point of parody. It was the latter, no doubt.

Her heart ached. This was the daily experience of life on the road with Ash - of having her heart played with by someone who always remained blissfully unaware that he was playing a dangerous game.

Serena shut her bag. There was nothing to do but carry on.

"Who knows?" she said. "Maybe seeing the place will jog your memory. It's beautiful."

"I can't wait to see it, then. Have you ever been there before?"

"Oh, no way!" Serena said, shaking her head.

"Why not?"

"It's way too expensive! Monego City is a famous vacation spot for rich people."

* * *

Serena woke from a dream to a flash of light, and the sound of Bonnie's voice.

"There it is!"

Serena stirred. Pikachu jumped up from her lap and pressed his face to the window. The train had emerged from a tunnel. She pushed herself upright in her seat and tried to shake the sleep from her eyes.

The first thing she saw was Ash's expression of awe as he gazed past her, out the window.

"It looks like a postcard," he said.

Outside their window lay a wondrous landscape, too picturesque to be real. Behind them, a mountain. Before them, a beach. The tunnel through which they had passed deposited them on a hill above an azure, pristine sea and a tiny but impossibly dense city. The city was like no other, rich in green, and blue, and earthen shades of red and orange. Plants grew from every imaginable place, even atop the buildings. In the harbor, there sailed an astonishing number of yachts. The landscape glowed with color.

A daydream of shopping along the waterfront with Ash teased Serena's mind.

"If you want, we can probably find a postcard with this view on it," said Serena.

Bonnie stuck her head between the two seats in her row, looking back at them.

"It's amazing!" she said.

"Yeah, it is!" said Ash.

Serena raised an expectant eyebrow at Ash.

"Do you see why I said it was famous?"

"I sure do! I can't wait to see for myself up close!" said Ash.

Ash pumped his fist. Serena couldn't help but smile. His enthusiasm was contagious.

For a brief moment, she hated it. It was yet another reason to get her hopes up about nothing.

But when they stepped off the train and onto the station platform, she knew the excitement was warranted.

Warm, golden avenues stretched before them down the mountainside, a short distance through the tiny city and to the beach. Sea salt hung in the air, along with the sumptuous scents from too many restaurants to count.

Serena checked her tablet. The Grand Monego hotel was only a few blocks away.

"The hotel is so close!" she said. "Come on!"

Her heart and her feet raced. The city was like a dream, a golden, dizzying dream. Ash kept pace with her as she scurried down the meandering alleys, with Bonnie dragging Clemont along behind.

Lights were strung between buildings, and ivy dangled from window boxes and drainpipes. People clad in airy, loose outfits enjoyed the perfect weather. What seemed like every other building was some sort of café or bistro, with vacationers leisurely dining at tables beneath umbrellas.

And on a bluff overlooking the beach, there was the most opulent hotel Serena had ever seen.

It was the type of place she had only seen in movies. A fountain bubbled in front of the building, flanked on both sides by a pristine garden. As they approached, a limousine pulled into the loop in front of the entrance, from which emerged a man in a tuxedo and a woman in a fabulous evening gown. The bellhop escorted them to the door, where the man casually slipped a banknote into the front pocket of his jacket.

"Is this the place?" said Ash.

"It is," said Serena. She saw Ash's jaw tighten. He looked unsure. It was a rare sight, for him, anyway.

"It's really fancy."

"It's called the _Grand_ Monego Hotel for a reason."

Bonnie came up behind them, dragging an out of breath Clemont by the sleeve.

"It's so pretty!" said Bonnie. "Can we go inside? Can we?"

"We have to," Clemont said, pausing for several heavy breaths, "in order to check in."

"So what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

Bonnie left Clemont in a sweaty heap on the side of the street and ran for the door. Clemont was able to make only a feeble grunt of protest before she was out of sight.

Ash offered Clemont a hand and pulled him to his feet. Clemont patted himself off and adjusted his glasses. He gazed up at the facade of the building.

"It's no surprise that Diantha would have a personal suite here," said Clemont. "It looks like it would take movie star money to afford a room at this place."

Serena shut off her tablet. She was grinning from ear to ear.

"I can't believe our luck," she said.

"Yeah, me too," said Ash.

He wasn't smiling.

Serena looked at Ash and caught his eye. When he noticed her, his expression changed to a half-smile, a familiar reassurance. A small dose of confidence. He nodded at her.

"Let's go," said Serena.

The bellhop eyed them over as they passed through the foyer. Serena clutched at her pockets. She was grateful they had no bags for him to help carry. There was no spare cash to tip him.

Inside, red carpets led to a grand staircase, with a massive chandelier hanging from above. On one side of the foyer, a bar. On the other, signs pointing to a spa, and a casino. As they walked past, Serena caught sight of a table at which a dealer was collecting cards with a thin paddle.

Bonnie, meanwhile, was already in trouble with security.

"Bonnie, what are you doing?!" Clemont shouted as he ran off to collect her from the officer who had prevented her from entering the casino.

With Ash, Serena located the reception desk and got in line. As they waited, her eyes darted around the lobby, examining the other patrons. She shifted in place, uncomfortable. They were rather underdressed, compared to everyone else. They were the only people in sight who weren't in formal wear of some sort.

Serena fidgeted with her scarf and smoothed down the front of her dress. To her surprise, she saw Ash remove his hat and begin trying to tame his hair.

"Really fancy place, huh?" said Ash.

Serena bit her lip and looked away from him. She didn't know what to tell him. All of Monego City was going to be like this.

As she watched a pair of elderly socialite women gossip in the foyer, Serena felt a pang of doubt in the pit of her stomach. She was reminded of Palermo and all her words.

She reached into her bag and found Palermo's business card. She stared at it.

"Next please."

Serena looked up and saw that the line in front of them had vanished. A rather tight-faced woman was staring at them over the rims of her glasses from behind the desk.

"Oh! Yes, hello," Serena said, stepping forward. Her hands shook as she placed Palermo's business card back into her bag and pulled out Diantha's envelope.

The receptionist's gaze was withering. Her eyes flicked from Serena back to a monitor on the desk.

"Do you have a reservation?" she said.

"Well, yes, sort of?"

The receptionist's eyes moved from the screen back to Serena, peeking over the rims of her glasses again.

"Do you have a reservation?" she repeated.

Serena fumbled through the contents of the envelope and pulled out the voucher.

"I think so?" she said. "I received this from Diantha."

The receptionist's eyebrow raised ever so slightly. Serena handed the voucher to her, and she adjusted her glasses as she examined it.

Several seconds passed with no response. Serena removed Diantha's letter from the envelope and offered it to the receptionist.

"I have this letter," said Serena. "It's from Diantha, if that helps."

Serena handed Diantha's letter to the receptionist. Her eyes were magnified behind the lenses of her glasses. Her eyelids narrowed as she read.

Serena's stomach tied itself in knots. The receptionist handed the voucher and the letter back to her. They were about to be turned away. It had all been too good to be true. There was no way the staff of this hotel would believe her. She was going to be told the voucher was a fake, the letter was a forgery, and there was no reservation for them. They would be back in Lumiose City by morning, and Ash would be gone the next day. It was all over.

"Young man?"

The receptionist was staring over the rims of her glasses again, but not at Serena. Her gaze went right through her, and directly to Ash.

Ash blinked. He pointed at himself.

"Me?"

"Yes, you, with the Pikachu."

Ash stepped forward, but he halted when the receptionist pointed past him with a long, bony finger.

"Is that you, my dear?"

Ash turned, as did Serena. The receptionist was pointing toward a newspaper rack near the entrance. On the front page of today's edition, there was a picture of Ash and Pikachu, knee-deep in rubble. There was no doubt it was taken during their efforts to help rebuild Lumiose City.

Ash reached for the back of his neck.

"Ha, yeah, it is," he said. He looked so bashful.

The receptionist's expression changed into a faint smile.

"Thank you, young man."

Ash opened his mouth but said nothing. He closed it again and nodded.

The receptionist pulled open a drawer and then tucked two key cards into a paper sleeve. She handed it to Ash.

"Everything is in order. Enjoy your stay."

Ash stepped away from the desk. Serena's jaw slackened. It was _her_ name on the voucher, but Ash got through without question? It was an outrage!

Ash looked like he was about to open up the paper sleeve when Serena stalked up to him.

"Let me see that!" she said.

Ash looked at her and froze, clearly surprised by the sharpness of her voice.

"Here you go," he said, handing the sleeve over to her with a shrug.

Serena held it in her hands, and she felt her face flush red with shame. It wasn't Ash's fault. He was the hero, not her.

She kept her eyes away from him as she examined the card keys. The room and floor number on them made no sense. It just said _P._

While Serena wondered if this meant they had to stay in the parking garage, Clemont came trudging up to them with Bonnie held in the clutches of his Aipom Arm.

"I'm telling you, brother, she's a keeper!"

"She was with her husband!"

"You never know what could happen!"

"That's very rude of you to suggest! We've been over this a million times! The next time you get apprehended by security anywhere in this city, I'm taking you home!"

Bonnie deflated at that. The group made their way to the elevators. An attendant waited for them.

"Going up, madame?" the attendant said to Serena.

"Um, I think?" said Serena. "I'm not sure which floor our room is on."

Serena opened up the paper sleeve and showed the attendant the key.

"Ah, you must take a special elevator to go up there, madame."

The attendant pointed to an elevator which stood all on its own at the far end of the hall.

"Oh. Thank you."

Serena led the way, and the four of them walked to the end of the hall.

There was no attendant in sight for this elevator. Serena pressed the button herself.

Several seconds later, the door opened. When they went inside, they made a strange discovery.

There was only one button inside this elevator. It said _P._

Serena pressed it. The door closed, and her knees buckled as the elevator began to pull them up. The ride continued for quite some time. When Serena thought there was surely no way they could go any higher, the elevator came to a stop.

The door opened. They stepped out into a small hall, with only one door. There was a card key reader on the door handle.

"I guess this is it," said Serena.

Seeing no other option, she slid one of their keys into the reader. The light next to it turned green.

Serena opened the door and stepped into a world of glass.

It was the most lavish room she had ever seen. Diantha's personal suite was an entire floor. The exterior walls were all solid glass, creating one giant window all the way around the hotel. The décor was simple and modern, yet tasteful and elegant. There was not a single speck of dust nor misplaced object anywhere.

It felt too perfect to touch, let alone live in for two weeks. Serena wandered over to one of the many windows. Her fingertips on the glass, she looked down. It was a frightening distance to the ground.

Serena stepped back. Atop a nearby desk, there sat a pad of the very same stationery on which their letter of invitation had been written.

Stepping back again, it all began to make sense.

They were on top of the hotel.

 _P_ stood for penthouse.

"This isn't a hotel room," Serena said, turning around to face everyone else, "I think this is Diantha's _penthouse."_

Clemont peered out one of the windows.

"She was underselling this place when she said it was her personal suite," said Clemont.

"Diantha lives here?" said Bonnie.

"Only when she's in town, I think," said Clemont. "By the look of it, I don't think she's here often."

"It doesn't look very… _lived in_ ," said Ash.

Serena agreed. Diantha's penthouse looked more like the display room at a furniture store than anything else.

Despite the incredible view and the pristine décor, what Serena was drawn to most was a photograph in a frame atop one of the end tables.

It depicted Diantha in what looked to be her early twenties, alongside a woman who Serena was certain was Palermo. There were fewer lines on her face, but the demeanor was unmistakable.

Serena wanted to pick up the picture frame to better examine it, but she couldn't bring herself to touch anything. Something about the photo made her stomach squirm.

She could still hear Palermo's words echoing in her ears.

" _You don't have it."_

Serena tore her eyes away from the photo, then turned her back to it and walked away. There was so much more to see.

There were four bedrooms and just as many bathrooms. Everyone would get to have their own. There was a full kitchen, plus massive rooms for dining and entertaining. It looked like the kind of place where Diantha would host guests.

After everyone chose their room, Ash went to raid the kitchen and left disappointed.

"There's no food!" he said, a desperate look in his eye. "What are we going to do?"

"It's not likely that we can afford many of the restaurants in this city," said Clemont. "We'll have to search for the most inexpensive ones."

Serena bit the inside of her cheek. Monego City was a playground for the rich. You needed big money to stay here. They had no business being here.

Hoping for a miracle, she reached back into her bag, removing the voucher. Serena examined it and flipped it over. Her heart soared.

"If you want inexpensive, how does _free_ sound?" she said.

"Do you mean we get free meals, too?" said Ash.

"At the places listed on the voucher, we do! Diantha wasn't lying when she said this trip was all expense included!"

Ash looked over Serena's shoulder at the voucher.

"Where should we go?" he said. "All those restaurants have such fancy names. I can't tell what's what!"

"They're probably all really good," said Serena. "I wonder which one's the best, though."

Serena pulled out her tablet and began flipping through restaurant guides. She paused when Clemont spoke.

"You know, I think I've heard that Siebold runs a restaurant in this city," he said.

"Siebold?" said Ash. "Siebold of the _Elite Four_?"

" _And_ _world-famous chef_ ," said Serena.

"He's a chef?" said Ash.

"Indeed he is," said Clemont. "Siebold is quite famous for it, actually. I wonder if his restaurant is covered by our voucher."

Serena flipped through the guide on her tablet, then checked the voucher and grinned.

"It is," she said. " _Café des Artistes_. Take a look!"

Sure enough, the guide confirmed it was Siebold's restaurant, and the name was on the back of their voucher. The excitement in the room boiled over.

Before long, the group was out on the streets again, enjoying the salty sea air as they made the short walk to _Café des Artistes._ Serena examined the attire of everyone they passed and scrutinized it with her eyes. No matter how casual everyone looked, she still felt underdressed.

After an uphill climb, they found the place on the corner of a quaint street, several blocks up the mountainside from the sea. From the entrance, despite the distance, their elevation and angle gave them an unobstructed, perfect view of the harbor.

Inside, the café was lit by candles, dozens of them hanging from chandeliers and sitting in arrangements on every table. The small, intimate space was filled with people, chatting quietly beneath the easy sounds of a jazz trio playing by the bar. Paintings covered the walls, most of them nautical-themed, some of them with price tags attached to them. Out of curiosity, Serena checked the price on one of them. It was so outrageous that it made Serena want to gag.

With little trouble, Serena showed the hostess their voucher from Diantha, and they were seated at a table for four.

As soon as they were seated, Serena's head was swimming in thoughts of bringing Ash to this place alone. Just a dream, but his reactions to everything were adorable. He had no idea which fork or spoon was meant for what, how to fold the napkin so it would sit in his lap, or what the names of any of the entrees meant. She could feel herself melting inside as he stuttered his way through ordering his meal.

She longed to hold his hand under the table, but Ash's mind was focused on only one thing.

"Where's Siebold? I thought he would be here."

"He's the chef!" said Serena. "He's in the kitchen, cooking."

Ash kept moving in his seat and craning his neck to glance around.

"He's probably cooking our meals right now," said Serena. "You're not going to see him from here."

"Why are you so eager to see him, anyway?" said Clemont. "I understand that he's a member of the Elite Four, but he's probably very busy here. If you want battling advice from him, this isn't the best place to get it."

"I don't want battling _advice_ ," said Ash. "I want to _battle_ him."

"Are you serious?" said Serena.

"Elite Four members don't usually accept field challenges, you know," said Clemont. "Even if you ask him for a battle, he's probably going to decline. He's a busy man."

"Pardon."

Everyone at the table looked up and saw two members of the waitstaff delivering their food, a plate in each hand.

Or rather, their waitress, accompanied by Siebold.

Serena could sense Ash ready to explode next to her, and in a moment of pure instinct, placed her hand on top of his and held it down to the table. Ash hesitated, long enough for their plates to be delivered. Serena wasn't going to let him cause a scene.

Or she wasn't until Siebold opened up the floor for questions.

"Does everything seem to be in order?" he asked them.

Ash shot up from his seat, hand still trapped beneath Serena's. Pikachu went tumbling from his shoulder.

"Siebold! My name is Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, and I challenge you to a battle!"

The band stopped playing, and the café went silent. Serena removed her hand from Ash's and tried to use her napkin to cover her face. Bonnie giggled uncontrollably.

"I told you to just let me make two trips," their waitress whispered to Siebold. "This always happens when you come out here."

Siebold gave her a grim nod.

"You know I always think it unprofessional for courses to arrive in pieces, but you have a point," he said.

Siebold crossed his hands behind his back and focused his attention on Ash.

"Ash Ketchum, is it?" he said. "I must say, I am impressed by your bravado, albeit less so by your tact. It is not every day I receive a challenge on the floor of my own establishment."

"It _will_ be every day if you keep coming out here," their waitress hissed.

"Do you accept my challenge or not?" said Ash.

Siebold, as far as Serena could tell, had not blinked since locking eyes with Ash.

Pikachu finished shaking himself off and went scurrying back up onto Ash's shoulder. The corner of Siebold's mouth turned upward into a smile.

"Usually, when I receive a challenge here, it is made by intoxicated middle-aged men who wish to show off for their wives."

For just a fraction of a second, Serena felt Siebold's eyes shift to her, then back to Ash.

"Or their girlfriends," said Siebold. "It is rare indeed to be challenged by someone who actually possesses the pedigree to issue such a challenge. You are the runner-up from the Kalos League, are you not?"

Ash's face bore a confident smirk.

"I am."

"I watched your battle with Alain. Truly, one of the closest I have ever witnessed, made all the more remarkable by what you accomplished with your Greninja. I commend your strength."

"Thank you," said Ash. He nodded, fists clenched.

"Indeed, I commend your strength, but not your tact. Alain and his Charizard are powerful, yes. I have battled him, in fact. But, it seemed to me all along that you were clearly the more powerful trainer. Had you chosen your moves more wisely in that battle, right now you would certainly have a proper writ of challenge to battle me, rather than attempting to challenge me here, in the dining room of my café."

Serena saw the tension release from Ash's jaw. His resolve faltered. Every eye in the café was staring at their table now.

"That being said, I must admit, your strength intrigues me," said Siebold. "Tell me, are you still traveling with the Greninja with which you battled against Alain?"

Ash gripped a ball on his belt.

"Yeah, I am."

"Splendid. Regretfully, I am rather busy for much of the next week, but perhaps the week after, I can find the time."

"Does that mean you accept my challenge?"

"Yes, it does," said Siebold. He extended a hand to Ash. "To be held next week. How does three-on-three sound to you?"

"Sounds great!"

The two shook hands, and Pikachu added some words of encouragement.

"Very well, then," said Siebold. "I shall leave you to your meal. I hope you enjoy, and when you feel ready, I shall send for our chocolatier to show you our dessert selection."

For the rest of the meal, Ash could not sit still. Serena had never been so mortified. She wasn't sure what was worse - that her first time holding Ash's hand was to prevent him from embarrassing them all, or the glances everyone else in the café kept making at their table. They would be lucky if the incident did not make the local news.

By the time their waitress returned, Serena was quite ready to leave, but Ash wouldn't hear talk of leaving without dessert. It was free, after all.

When the chocolatier arrived at their table bearing a tray with a selection of lovely handmade chocolates, Serena assumed the worst was over.

But then, her eyes shot wide open when she realized who the chocolatier was.

"Why, _hello_ Ash," said Miette.

Miette's saccharine smile made Serena sick to her stomach.

The way Miette nuzzled right up to Ash with the chocolate tray made her feel even worse. A nerve twitched in her forehead. Miette was dressed in the same uniform as the rest of the café staff. _She_ was the chocolatier.

Miette leaned in toward Ash. She spoke in a low voice, hovering by his ear.

"We have such a _decadent_ selection of the finest hand-crafted chocolates tonight. Only the very best for a true hero of Kalos."

Serena glared at Miette. The sensual inflection in her voice was unmistakable. She was going right for the throat.

Ash edged away from Miette in his seat.

"Hey, I'm not the only hero," he said, waving her off. "My friends all helped, too! So did lots of other people."

Miette crept even closer to him, and Ash ran out of chair. He was as far away as he could move in his seat.

Serena went to reach for Ash's hand again. She froze when Miette winked at her and continued her presentation.

"First up, for our hero, we have this _luscious_ milk chocolate and caramel truffle, gently rolled in locally-sourced Monego sea salt."

Miette's eyes lingered on Serena as _salt_ lingered in the air. It made Serena's blood boil.

"Next, a house creation," said Miette. She rotated the tray such that a pyramid-shaped chocolate sat right beneath Ash's nose. "The Pecan Pyramid, a layered confection with a rich, nutty flavor and a _savory_ candied pecan in the center."

She had trapped Ash. He had no choice but to smell the chocolate. When he did, his unsure expression softened.

"Here, some more adventurous fare," said Miette, turning the tray again. "Our spirit-infused mousse truffles, one made with _exotic_ spiced rum imported from Alola, and the other with aged whiskey imported from Unova, with the most gentle, subtle sweetness."

Miette turned the tray yet again, this time with a flourish.

"Now, my personal favorite, this positively _sinful_ raspberry tart with dark chocolate mousse. Soft. Delicate. _Sumptuous_."

Serena saw Ash's eyes glazing over. There was a hunger in him. Something primal, something pulling him closer to the chocolates, and closer to Miette. The roles had been reversed. He was the one leaning into her now.

"And the best for last. An _intimate_ creation - our purest, darkest chocolate, made from hand-ground cacao beans and sugar cane, blended with the finest sprinkling of chile powder, renowned for its _stirring, sensual_ flavor."

Miette concluded her presentation by placing her tray on the table right in front of Ash. As she pulled her hands away, she grazed his bare arm with one of her fingers. Only the slightest touch, easily dismissable as an accident.

And in Serena's mind, deliberate.

Miette pulled a pad of paper and a pen from the pocket of her apron.

"Now, what may I get for you all this evening?"

Serena stood up and threw her napkin into her seat.

"I'm not hungry."

Leaving the others in stunned silence, she stormed off.


	2. Choosing Not to Decide

Chapter Two - Choosing Not to Decide

The next morning, it was all too easy to pretend nothing had happened.

After returning to the hotel and locking herself away in her room, Serena heard everyone else return, no more than ten minutes later.

Much later, well into the night, she was awoken by a knock at the door.

She never answered it.

Hours later, when the sun came up and Serena emerged from her room, there was no sign of a nighttime visitor, nor that anything at all had happened the previous night.

The penthouse seemed empty, aside from the faint sounds of a television coming from one of the larger rooms. Curious, Serena searched for the source.

On her toes, she crept into the living room in silence. At first, the room appeared to be empty, the giant TV playing to an audience of no one. As she approached, the full picture came into view.

Ash sat deeply on the end of the large sofa, sinking into the cushions as if they would swallow him. Pikachu was curled up in his lap. One of his hands rested on his stomach, and the other rested on the next cushion over, the remote control for the TV held loosely in his grip. His eyes were closed, and his mouth was open. By all appearances, he seemed to be asleep.

Serena stopped where she was. This wasn't normal for Ash. Most mornings, he was awake at sunrise, running laps around their campsite with his Pokémon before anyone else had even opened an eye.

His stomach made a deep growling noise. To Serena's surprise, Ash clutched his hand against it.

"Ash?"

Ash made a faint noise of being startled and snapped his head to attention. Blinking several times to shake the sleepiness from his eyes, he squinted at Serena.

"Morning," he said, yawning afterward.

Serena took a step closer, hands folded in front of her.

"Good morning," she said.

Serena tilted her head. The closer she examined Ash, the worse he looked.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I couldn't sleep, so I came out here."

"You couldn't sleep? You never have any trouble sleeping!"

"I was too hungry. I'm so hungry right now I can barely move."

Serena noticed again the hand Ash held against his stomach. She crossed her arms. She had seen Ash eat last night. How could he now be so hungry that he was incapacitated?

Had he skipped dessert?

"I was right next to you when we had dinner at the café," said Serena.

"All the food there was so small!" said Ash. "It was like I only had half a dinner, maybe less!"

Serena laughed.

"You just aren't used to gourmet portion sizes!"

"It's not funny, I'm dying here!"

"You're not dying, you're just a big eater!" said Serena. She sat down on the far end of the sofa and pulled up her legs, her feet facing Ash. "Where are Clemont and Bonnie? They don't eat like you. I'm sure they're fine."

"They went to a bakery to get us some breakfast," said Ash. "I really hope they're back soon. I don't think I can last much longer."

Serena couldn't tell how serious Ash was. What he was saying sounded ridiculous, but he looked awful. The dark circles hanging under his eyes contrasted with the odd paleness of his face. His hair was even more of a disaster than usual.

He really must not have slept well.

It was only another minute until Clemont and Bonnie returned.

"We're back!" said Bonnie. She walked into the room clutching a giant paper bag overflowing with bagels and croissants. Ash whimpered at the sight of it.

Pikachu hopped off the sofa and took a bagel from Bonnie's bag. He ran back to Ash and handed it to him.

"Thanks, buddy. You're a lifesaver," he said. He scratched Pikachu behind his ears while stuffing the largest bite he could into his mouth. Serena worried he would choke.

"Good morning, Serena," said Clemont, handing her a cardboard cup full of hot tea.

"Good morning!" Serena said, taking the cup from him. "Thank you."

Clemont met eyes with her and paused. For a moment, Serena expected him to say something. No matter what it was, she wanted to beg him not to say it.

But Clemont said nothing. He nodded at her, a hint of a smile on his face.

Serena replied to him the same way.

Everyone dug into their breakfast.

"What are we gonna do today?" said Bonnie, breaking the quiet as they all ate.

"We can do whatever we want to do," said Clemont. "This is a vacation, after all."

"I know what I wanna do," said Ash. "I wanna go to the beach. I bet there are lots of trainers there to battle!"

"Oh yay, I love the beach!" said Bonnie. Dedenne agreed, poking his head out from Bonnie's bag to voice his approval.

"I certainly don't see any reason why we couldn't do that," said Clemont. "I didn't have any specific plans in mind, myself."

"What about you, Serena?" said Ash.

The thought of going to the beach with Ash was thrilling, but there was something else on Serena's mind.

"I was really hoping to go shopping today," she said.

"Interesting," said Clemont. "Do you have any idea where you wanted to go? I'd be interested in seeing if there's an electronics shop around here. I have a new invention in mind."

"Oh brother," Bonnie groaned. "Of course you do."

"I wasn't really thinking about electronics," said Serena. "I just want to check out all the shops along the waterfront."

"Is there something in particular you're looking for?" said Clemont.

Serena's brow tightened. She thought that she and Clemont had reached some sort of understanding earlier, but she was clearly mistaken.

"Oh, well, you know," said Serena. "Just looking for stuff."

"Huh," said Clemont. "Well, I think I might prefer to do something other than going to the beach today. Would you mind if I tagged along with you for a while?"

Serena did mind, but what was she supposed to say? If Clemont understood what had happened last night, how could she say no?

He _knew._

In her absence, he could tell Ash. Or worse, he may have already told Bonnie. They had been alone together this morning. There were too many loose ends!

"That is," Clemont continued, "if you don't mind looking after Bonnie, Ash."

"No problem!" said Ash. "I'm sure we'll have a great time!"

* * *

And that was how Serena ended up on a shopping trip in Monego City with Clemont.

Not with Ash. Not by herself. With Clemont.

In between flashbacks to her non-date with Ash in Coumarine City, Serena decided it wasn't so bad. Any other day, the arrangement wouldn't have bothered her.

The problem was what she was shopping for.

The fear of being underdressed still loomed in her mind. The tourists she passed as they walked the waterfront were not in formal attire, but there was no denying they all looked so much more fashionable than she did. For a moment, she found herself longing for her old red skirt when they passed a young woman wearing one similar to it.

But it wasn't just the tourists. Everyone in this city was looking sharp. Even the people who were working were well-dressed. The staff in the hotel, at the café, everywhere. The thought of the uniform Miette had worn made her clench her fists. She had worn it so well.

The way those black slacks hugged Miette's hips lingered in Serena's mind. There was nothing in her wardrobe that could do the same for her.

It didn't help her insecurities that her shopping partner today was dressed, as he was every day, in a pair of electrician's overalls.

 _"You don't have it."_

She did not, and she knew it. She didn't belong here.

Eager to begin her search, she pulled Clemont into the first clothing store she found.

Right away, it was obvious that Clemont was uncomfortable. The strange looks he received from the staff were but one of many signs.

"I'm not sure this is the kind of place I want to be," he said.

Serena had her back turned to him. She searched through a display of garments hanging on a rack.

"I know," she said. "Please, just stick with me."

"If you insist," said Clemont. "Although, I must say, I think I'm earning us some unwanted attention."

As if on cue, Clemont attempted to turn around, and in the process knocked a pile of clothes off a shelf with his Aipom Arm.

"Oh dear," he said, scrambling to pick everything up. "Let me put these back before anyone notices."

Serena saw the mess and abandoned her search, joining him on the floor to help. Clemont was avoiding eye contact. His face was red.

"Are you quite sure you need me to be in here with you?" said Clemont. "Clothing stores are not my specialty. Anywhere else, I'll be happy to join you."

"Clemont."

Serena made eye contact with him. His eyes were nervous, even scared.

"You really don't want to be in here, do you?" said Serena.

"No," said Clemont.

"Is it-"

Serena bit her lip. It felt too insulting. She couldn't finish her sentence.

But she had to.

"Your clothes?" she asked.

Clemont gulped.

"Yes," he said. He couldn't keep his eyes on her.

He began to look around, as though searching for a way out. Serena spoke up again.

"Clemont."

"I have no business being here!" said Clemont. "I have no idea what I'm doing with fashion! Especially in a place as fancy as this."

Serena shook her head.

"I have no idea what I'm doing, either," she said.

Clemont looked incredulous.

"Are you serious? You made it to the finals of the Master Class showcase! You have to have fashion sense to make it that far."

"Have you seen the people in this city?" said Serena. "I don't belong here."

"Our hotel is meant for celebrities," said Clemont. "You're being unfair to yourself if you judge yourself by their standard."

Serena remembered the sharp-dressed people going in and out of the casino.

"I know, I know," said Serena. "It's not the people in suits that bother me. It's everyone else. I look like a cartoon character compared to the people in this city!"

"What do you think I look like, then?" said Clemont.

"An electrician, just like you do every day. And I haven't seen any power lines around here."

"That's because they're all underground!"

Serena blinked. Of course Clemont would know such a thing.

"So, we both look weird here, then," she said.

"I don't know about you, but I certainly do," said Clemont.

"I do, too," said Serena. "That's why I wanted to go shopping today, so I could get some more fashionable clothes."

Clemont's expression hardened. He seemed puzzled.

"If that's what you really wanted to do, why did you let me come along with you? I know nothing about fashion! I suspect my presence is a hindrance to you."

"I-"

Serena shut her mouth as quickly as she had opened it. She didn't want to touch on the subject, but there was no avoiding it now.

She bit down on her tongue. She couldn't believe she was about to do this. With Clemont. On the floor of a clothing store.

"Do you know what happened last night?" she said.

Clemont gave her a measured look.

"In some sense, yes," he said, "but a great deal of what I think I know is conjecture."

"What do you think you know?"

"I know that you were bothered by Miette's unexpected appearance. What is less clear is why you reacted so strongly. I understand you consider her a rival, but the nature of her behavior toward Ash leads me to one particular conclusion."

Clemont adjusted his glasses. Serena held her breath.

Clemont _knew._

"I hope I'm not being too presumptuous by saying this," Clemont said with caution, "but the conclusion I reach from all this is that you have feelings for Ash. Romantic ones, to be precise."

Hearing the words said aloud made Serena feel like she had been punched in the stomach. After all this time, nothing had prepared her for her secret to be known among her friends. She folded her hands over her chest, over her ribbon. She couldn't bear to look at Clemont, nor to speak.

"Is… is that correct?" said Clemont. He scratched his head and looked around as if worried about eavesdroppers. He laughed nervously. "If it's not true, I apologize! I don't mean to put words in your mouth, and certainly not ones so personal."

Serena sighed. She clutched the ribbon in one hand and covered her face with the other.

Lost, she stared through her fingers down the aisle where they knelt. How had it come to this? Why was she confessing her feelings for Ash to _Clemont?_ Why now, after all this time? Where did everything go so wrong?

This wasn't how things were supposed to be. Ash was supposed to win the Kalos League, and when they all stormed the stadium floor after his victory, she was going to wrap him up in her arms and tell him, at last.

And before that, it was going to be after she won the Master Class showcase. As Kalos Queen, she would have had the confidence to tell him.

And before that, it was going to be after Ash won his eighth badge.

And before that, it was going to be when she followed him into the snowy forest, but she threw a snowball at his face instead.

And before that, she couldn't remember when it was going to be. But it would have been perfect, whenever it was. It would have been the right time.

All of them would have been the right time.

Except none of them were.

So here she was.

"Serena?"

She snapped back to reality.

"It's true," she whispered.

She faced Clemont again.

"I… have feelings for Ash. It's true."

Clemont's expression of nervousness turned into one of amusement.

"Huh!" he said. "So Bonnie was right the entire time!"

"Bonnie?! She knows?"

"Since you say it's true, then I suppose she actually does know. She knew before I did, at least."

Serena grabbed Clemont by the shoulders.

"How long has she known?! Has she told him? Oh no, oh _please_ no, she's with him right now, she already could have told him!"

"Breathe."

Clemont put a hand up between them. Serena let go. Her shoulders slumped forward, and she grabbed her head with both hands.

She took a deep breath.

"You don't need to worry about Bonnie telling Ash," said Clemont.

"Why shouldn't I worry?! Is it because he already knows?"

"I have no reason to believe Ash knows," said Clemont. "He hasn't shown any clear signs, and he certainly isn't the type to hide anything."

"So then Bonnie can still tell him!"

"Bonnie has, for quite a while, been living under the threat of being sent home immediately if she attempted to play matchmaker with either of you, and especially with each other."

"How long has she known?"

"Since the day you first encountered us in Santalune City."

Serena flushed red. Was it that obvious?

"The first night you were with us, Bonnie said to me you looked at Ash like you loved him."

Clemont rubbed down his arms, looking uncomfortable with the words he had said. Or perhaps what he was about to say.

"I told her that if she interfered, not only would I send her home, but also that you and Ash wouldn't be her friends anymore."

"Clemont!"

"I can't say I'm proud of the method, but it worked. She brings your feelings up to me sometimes, but never to either of you."

"What does she say?"

"She mostly asks about when you're going to tell Ash, or why you haven't told him already."

Serena bit her lip.

"I never have a good answer," said Clemont.

Serena looked away.

"Neither do I."

"I wasn't entirely sure it was true, either," said Clemont. "I honestly don't know anything about romance in the first place, but it always seemed impossible to me that if you actually felt that way that you would be able to keep quiet for so long."

"Well, I did," said Serena. "I kept quiet, and here I am."

Serena broke eye contact with Clemont and looked away. She continued.

"I kept it all in, somehow."

She held her arms up and then let them fall to her sides in a defeated shrug.

"For what?" she said. "What am I even doing?"

There was a pause. After a few seconds, Clemont shrugged and shook his head.

"I'm afraid I don't know," he said.

"I don't, either," said Serena. She looked at the garments still strewn on the floor. "I don't even like this store."

"Me neither," said Clemont. "It's much too expensive, first of all."

For the first time since entering the store, Serena had the presence of mind to look at a price tag. Upon seeing it, she felt faint.

"Do you want to get out of here?" she said.

"Very much so."

"Me too."

Doing what little they could to re-shelve the mess Clemont made with his Aipom Arm, they left the store. Back on the street, their conversation continued.

"So, Miette-" Clemont began.

Serena's spine tingled at the mention of the name.

"Has she always been like that around Ash?"

"Not exactly," said Serena.

"What do you mean?"

"From the very first day I met her, she said she was going to ask Ash out if I didn't. She was never so pushy about it before, though."

"If that's so, I wonder what emboldened her so much."

"Who knows? It could be anything."

"Hmm. Curious."

Curious as it may be, Serena had no interest in speculation.

"Annoying," she said. "It's _unfair_! Who does she think she is?"

"Ash's future girlfriend, apparently."

Serena shuddered.

"Ugh! Don't say that!"

Clemont held up his hands in a sign of surrender.

"My apologies! I should have recognized that as a rhetorical question. I know I'm not the best with conversations about subjects such as this one."

Serena grabbed the bridge of her nose and winced.

"No, I'm sorry," she said. "I shouldn't have snapped. You're actually, um, way better at this than I would have expected."

"If that's so, then I must say I am pleasantly surprised."

"It's just so weird to be discussing this at all. I can't believe we're actually doing this."

"I have to agree," said Clemont. "Yet, somehow, we are."

Serena took a deep breath. Clemont knew her secret, directly from her mouth, and yet he was still standing right there, walking with her and talking with her as if nothing had happened. No judgment.

Everything was alright.

It was a beautiful day in Monego City, and there was so much day left.

It wasn't over, and she wasn't giving up.

"Would you check out another clothing store with me?" she asked.

"As long as it's not as upscale as the last one, I'm willing. What do you hope to find?"

"Everything."

At that, Serena pulled Clemont into the next store they saw.

Clemont eyed the mannequins and racks of clothing with doubt.

"Can you be more specific than _everything?_ " he said.

"I mean _everything,_ " said Serena. "Or at least _something_. I want to refresh my whole look, but I don't know where to start."

"Unfortunately, I have no idea myself," said Clemont. "I have no experience with this, as you know."

"We have to start somewhere," said Serena, determined to make progress. She searched for the first area of the store which appeared mostly empty of people. She pointed to it. "There! We'll start there."

It did not occur to Serena just what she was walking into until she reached it.

"I'm not an expert, but are you sure that socks are where you want to start with a new look?" said Clemont.

Serena sighed. She was stumped. There were some adorable novelty socks, but there was nothing here which she would want to wear as an everyday look.

Why was this so hard?

"I wish we had an expert," she said.

 _"Ask, and you shall receive!"_

Serena and Clemont both turned their heads to the sound of the voice. One shelf away stood a girl slightly taller than either of them, with long red hair and glasses. For a moment, Serena was fooled, but then she saw through the disguise.

Her face lit up with excitement, but before she could say a word, she was hushed.

"Shh!"

The girl held a finger up to her lips and winked.

Serena hesitated as she searched for the right name.

"...Ariana?" she said.

"That's me! The one and only!"

Serena was starstruck. Standing before her was none other than the Kalos Queen.

"I…"

Serena's words failed her. It was Aria, in disguise, just as she had appeared to her while she was out shopping so many months ago. Once again, when Serena needed an expert's opinion the most, Aria had appeared out of nowhere.

"I can't believe you're here," said Serena. Immediately, she felt like it was the dumbest thing she'd ever said.

"And yet, here I am!" said Aria. "It's quite a pleasant surprise running into you here."

Clemont tapped Serena on the shoulder.

"Who is this?" he whispered.

Serena couldn't find the words to explain. It was impossible to explain. There was too much she simply could not say, not without blowing Aria's cover.

Before Serena could say anything, Aria extended a hand to Clemont.

"Hi! I'm Ariana. And you?"

Clemont accepted the handshake.

"I'm Clemont, Lumiose City gym leader. It's a pleasure to meet you, Ariana."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, too!" said Aria.

Serena panicked. Clemont didn't know. What was she supposed to say? The Kalos Queen was standing right here with her, in the middle of a store while she was desperate for fashion advice. How was she supposed to ask for help? Could she?

"What brings you here?" Aria asked Serena.

Serena had no clue how to answer.

"Just… out shopping," said Serena. "Do you shop here?"

Serena wanted to cringe. It was a ridiculous question. Aria could shop anywhere she wanted. Why even ask?

"I do!" said Aria. She tapped her glasses, winking at Serena again.

Serena understood - _Ariana_ shopped here. _Aria_ did not.

A thought occurred to her. Aria appeared to be alone. No security. No entourage. No Monsieur Pierre. No Palermo.

"Then, if you don't mind, could I ask you for some advice?"

"Certainly! Ask away."

Aria winked at Clemont, and she whispered aside to him.

"It's not the first time I've run into Serena while we were both out shopping!"

Clemont nodded.

Serena couldn't believe her luck.

"Okay! Wow, um..."

There was so much to ask. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Or maybe twice, given her luck.

"I want to find a whole new look, but I don't even know where to start."

"Try something on!"

"But what should I try?"

"Anything!" said Aria. "If you want to come up with a new idea for a look, you've got to start with a vision. If you don't have a vision, you have to create one, somehow. So, try something on. See for yourself. See where it takes you."

Serena stared at the nearest shelf. Socks, nothing but socks. No ideas.

"Maybe not socks, though," said Aria. "Come with me! I'm sure we can find something that gets the ideas flowing."

Aria led the way, and Serena and Clemont followed. Serena beamed. She felt like she could float. Luck was on her side.

Aria stopped at a rack with many breezy skirts hanging from it. She flipped through them at amazing speed, pausing to examine Serena. She removed one from the rack, then began searching the other side. Then came another skirt. And another.

"There are so many things that could work well on you," said Aria. "So many possibilities!"

She halted her search and eyed Serena up and down with her tongue poking out from between her lips, eyes narrowed. Serena had the feeling that Aria's eyes were seeing more than what was visible, seeing more than what was there, like Aria understood something that she did not.

"These should be enough to get you started," said Aria, handing Serena the skirts. "Give them a try!"

It was from there that Serena found herself in a fitting room by herself, all quiet except for the sounds of Clemont and Aria making small talk outside.

 _"So you're an inventor?"_

 _"I like to think of myself as one. I've made a few creations, none particularly successful."_

 _"That's really interesting! Do you have some kind of big dream invention you'd like to create?"_

 _"I made a robot with some limited artificial intelligence to operate my gym in my absence. I'd like to improve upon it, though."_

 _"You made a robot that can run a gym? That's incredible."_

 _"Well, it has some design flaws…"_

Serena shook her head and snapped out of her brief reverie. She saw her reflection in the full-length mirror on the opposite wall. She looked stricken. Overwhelmed.

Aria was here, giving her fashion advice. Somehow, against all odds, this was happening. A chance encounter with the most fashionable person in Kalos, at the perfect time.

Curious what Aria saw in her selections, Serena tried on the first skirt. White, and a little bit longer than she liked. It flowed, but it felt too plain. She couldn't picture a top which would both suit her well and go well with it. Maybe Aria could?

The second was blue, a deep cerulean. She liked that it matched her eyes, as well as Ash's ribbon. It could work, but she would need a lot of guidance to find things to pair with it. It felt like too much.

The last was red. When Serena caught her image in the mirror, she froze. It was so similar to her old red skirt that she thought it might be the very same one. Her eyes followed the outline of the skirt, tracing the contours of her body. It did for her exactly what she wanted. It gave her exactly what she felt she lacked.

She sighed. She loved it, but this was a look she had moved on from once before. She changed it so she could change herself. She resolved to change for the better, and she did. She couldn't go back. And yet, it was so tempting.

She turned around in front of the mirror, again and again, seeing how the skirt moved around her body. It was what she wanted, and yet, she wondered - what was she doing?

What was the point of this? If Ash didn't notice before, why would he notice now? Why do any of this? By all indications, he hadn't understood what Miette was trying to do to him last night, so why would this be any different? Why try to change so much to change so little?

If this was the change she was going to make, it wasn't going to be enough. It was never enough.

She changed back into her regular clothes. It was not the right time. Not today. She could change her look again if she wanted, but not when she was so emotionally charged. Only when cooler heads prevailed.

She stepped out of the fitting room and found only Clemont waiting there for her.

"Where did Ariana go?" she said.

"She looked at the time and said she had stayed too long," said Clemont. "I assume she had some sort of pressing engagement."

Serena pouted at Clemont. How could he just let her leave with such a flimsy excuse?

Despite her disappointment, something in the back of Serena's mind told her it was for the best. Today was not the day.

"Did you like any of them?" said Clemont, pointing at the skirts Serena held.

"I did, but I don't think I want to get anything today after all."

"Oh? I must say, I'm quite surprised. You seemed rather determined."

"I was, but I think I've changed my mind."

"Shall we leave, then? I'm quite eager to find an electronics shop, as you know."

"Yes, please. Anything but clothes."

* * *

Later, the two of them were walking back in the direction of the hotel, empty-handed.

"Disappointing," said Clemont. "I would have figured that a metropolis such as this had at least one shop where I could buy parts."

"I'm sorry about your luck," Serena said, offering him a shrug.

"I suppose I could have predicted this based on how wealthy this city is. I suspect most people here are more interested in buying new gadgets or having someone else fix theirs for them, rather than trying to fix them on their own."

Clemont had his thumbs tucked inside the straps of his backpack, looking down at the ground as they walked. Serena had rarely seen him so despondent.

"It looks like my newest invention will have to wait until this vacation is over," said Clemont.

"Hey, it's a vacation!" said Serena. "You don't have to work while you're here. You can just relax."

Clemont looked up at her.

"Inventing is how I relax, though."

Serena frowned. It was such a strange yet obvious thought. Of course that was how Clemont relaxed.

"I guess that makes sense, even though it seems weird to me," said Serena.

"To each their own. I, for one, find solace in working with machines. They behave in predictable ways, unlike people."

Serena resisted the urge to roll her eyes. The behavior of Clemont's inventions was predictable only in that they all exploded.

 _"Watch out! Coming through!"_

The human equivalent of an explosion plowed through the gap between Serena and Clemont. Both of them froze on the spot. Rocketing ahead of them was a girl on roller skates, struggling to regain control.

 _"Whoah!"_

The girl grabbed onto a lamppost and came to a stop. She straightened herself up, shaking the dust off of her skirt.

She waved at Serena and Clemont.

"Sorry about that! Things got a bit out of control there! I came down the hill too fast and- _hey!_ "

She pointed at the two of them. They pointed back.

It was Korrina.

"Oh wow!" said Korrina, skating up to them. "Clemont! Serena! I'm so surprised to see you here!"

"Hi, Korrina!" said Serena.

Clemont laughed.

"I think it's safe to say we're surprised, too!" he said. "It's good to see you again."

"It's good to see you, too! I can't believe I ran into you guys like this! What are the odds?"

"Exceedingly low," said Clemont. "It's only a rough estimate, based on the population of this city and some rudimentary probability calculations, but I'd say the odds are about ten thousand to one."

Serena raised an eyebrow at Clemont. He looked very proud of himself as he adjusted his glasses.

"Really? That's awesome!" said Korrina. "I'm glad we could beat the odds! I'm happy to see you guys! What are you up to here? Are Ash and Bonnie here with you, or is it just you two?"

"They're both here," said Serena. "We're just out shopping right now."

"That's right," said Clemont. "They were more interested in spending the day on the beach."

"Cool!" said Korrina. "That's where I was headed. I just got here this morning and the beach was the first place I wanted to go."

"We got here yesterday," said Serena. "Are you on vacation, too?"

"I sure am! After all of the gym challengers trying to get their badge right before the league started, and then that Team Flare mess, I really need a break. Same for you all, I bet."

"More or less," said Clemont. "We're actually quite lucky to be here at all."

"Oh?" said Korrina. "I guess I see what you mean, as much as you all risked your necks with Team Flare. Awesome job with that, by the way! I've seen you in the news."

Clemont scratched his head and waved off the compliment.

Serena spoke up before he could say anything else awkward.

"Actually, what Clemont is talking about is this," she said, removing their invitation letter from her bag.

"Whatcha got there?" said Korrina. Serena offered it to her, and Korrina removed the letter from the envelope and read it.

"You guys! That's awesome! A reward from the champion herself? You should be so proud!"

"I suppose you could say we are," said Clemont. "I'm not sure we've had enough time to fully comprehend it all."

Serena found herself reconsidering her position. This whole time, she had been so focused on how this vacation gave her another chance with Ash. She had never realized how significant it was to receive a reward from the champion of Kalos. It was certainly much bigger than receiving some fashion advice from the Kalos Queen.

"It really hasn't sunk in," said Serena. "We've hardly had any time to relax so far."

"Aww, come on!" said Korrina. "You've gotta lighten up and have some fun!"

Serena thought of Ash and Bonnie spending the day on the beach, running in the sun and splashing through the waves. She felt silly. Ash had the right idea all along.

"On that note, I believe we're headed the same way as you, actually," said Clemont.

"You guys should come to the beach, too!" said Korrina. "It'll be fun."

Serena frowned. She tugged at her dress.

"We're not really dressed for the beach, though."

"Who says you have to go in the water?" said Korrina. "I don't have beach clothes with me, either, but that's not stopping me."

Serena looked at Clemont. She shrugged.

"Sounds like a plan, I suppose," said Clemont.

"Haha, yes!" said Korrina. "Let's go!"

Serena found that keeping up with Korrina was just as difficult as she remembered. Even more elated than normal thanks to their chance encounter, Korrina seemed to glide ahead of them, even without her skates. Every so often, she would look back and find them lagging behind.

Clemont was soon out of breath, and Korrina took it upon herself to be his personal cheerleader.

"You can do it! We're getting close! Hang in there!"

"Lung… capacity… exceeded…"

Serena couldn't help but laugh. Things were looking up. Now wasn't the time for bold moves and drastic changes. It was the time for enjoying the moment.

There was plenty of time. The right time would come.

As they approached the beach, Serena found herself wishing she had chosen to spend the day with Ash. He, Bonnie, and all his Pokémon were kicking and chasing a colorful inflatable ball in the sand.

He looked so happy, so carefree. She wished she could live like he did, so free of worry, so focused on the present, so accepting of the past, so unconcerned with the future.

When he saw them approaching and stopped the game, he smiled and waved. Serena mirrored his expression. How could she not smile? He was more than her friend. He was more than her crush. He was everything good in the world, wrapped up in one extraordinary person.

And so, when he came jogging toward them as they removed their shoes and stepped onto the warm sand, Serena's heart fluttered.

"Hi, Ash!" she said. "We're back!"

But he ran right past her.

Her heart sank as he ran up to greet Korrina instead.

"Korrina!" said Ash. "Wow am I glad you're here! You're just who I wanted to see!"

"I am?" said Korrina. "Well, I'm glad to see you, too!"

Ash extended his hand to Korrina, and they shared a handshake.

"Oh yay, it's Korrina!"

Bonnie cheered as she came running, jumping up and down.

Korrina knelt down as if to give Bonnie a hug as she approached.

By the time Korrina was down on one knee, so was Bonnie.

"Korrina, you're a keeper! Please, take c-"

 _"Bonnie! I've told you not to do this a million times!"_

Clemont's Aipom Arm came flying in and yanked Bonnie away. Korrina was left by herself on one knee, laughing with a big grin on her face.

"I hope you'll think about it!" Bonnie said as she was pulled away, high into the air.

"You're persistent, aren't you?" Korrina said, rising back to her feet and dusting off her knees.

Clemont grumbled to himself as he lowered the arm and let Bonnie down. He was very red in the face.

"So embarrassing…"

Korrina turned her head and smiled at him.

"No worries!"

Ash, as if oblivious to everything, moved a step closer and pumped his fist.

"This is perfect!" he said. "You're just in time. I need someone to train with who can use mega evolution!"

"You do?" said Korrina. She tilted her head to the side. "I thought you were on vacation. That's what Serena and Clemont told me. Serena showed me that letter from Diantha."

"I have a battle with Siebold next week and I need to prepare. I know he uses mega evolution, too."

"A battle with _Siebold?_ Are you serious?"

"Yeah, we ran into Siebold in his café last night, and I asked him to battle me, and he said yes!"

Korrina blinked several times, looking incredulous. She turned to look at Clemont.

"You guys really haven't been taking it easy, have you?" she said.

"It's a rather long story," said Clemont, scratching his head.

"I have time," said Korrina. She stepped forward toward Ash, hands on her hips. "A battle with an Elite Four member. How did you manage that?"

Ash shrugged.

"All I did was ask him," he said. "He said yes."

Serena folded her arms, lips shut tight. There was a lot more to the story than that. If nothing else, though, she at least felt some relief that the story must not have made the news.

"That's not an accurate representation of the whole story. It was more complicated than that," said Clemont, shaking his head. He looked at Korrina. "Siebold expressed interest in battling against Ash and Greninja, specifically the enhanced, bonded form the two can assume together. I was under the impression he wanted to test their strength against his own mega-evolved Pokémon."

At the mention of Ash and Greninja's transformation, Korrina nodded.

Greninja, who had been standing with Ash's other Pokémon, stepped forward.

"Yeah, I heard about you two being able to do that," Korrina said, looking at Ash. "What's the deal?"

"I can't really explain it," said Ash. "Every time somebody asks, I don't know what to say. Professor Sycamore thinks it's kind of like mega evolution without a mega stone."

"I didn't know that was possible," said Korrina.

"I don't think anyone else knew that, either," said Clemont. "This bond phenomenon, as some are calling it, was supposed to only be a myth, at least until Ash and Greninja achieved it."

Korrina looked at the Key Stone embedded in her glove, and then to Ash. She smiled.

"You're the kind of person who's always doing the impossible, aren't you?" she said.

Korrina had one eyebrow raised. Serena bit down on her tongue.

"I guess I am!" Ash said, laughing it off. "It's not like I'm trying to, it just kinda happens."

"So _modest_ ," said Korrina, folding her arms with a smirk.

Serena was sweating from the effort of not speaking, her jaw clenched shut. Korrina was being far too flirty for comfort.

"So, you want to battle with me and Lucario?" said Korrina.

"You bet we do!" said Ash. Greninja leaped into the air and landed in front of Ash, dropping into a battle stance.

"Fair warning, Lucario and I have gotten a lot stronger since the last time we battled!"

"We have, too!" said Ash.

Korrina reached for a Poké Ball, but before she could open it, Clemont interjected.

"Wait!" he said. "We need a proper battlefield. This beach is too crowded right now, especially if you two are planning to battle with mega evolved Pokémon!"

Korrina pouted at Clemont.

"Aww, come on!" she said, letting her shoulders drop with a giant sigh. "You're probably right, though. Mega Lucario is way too intense for a crowded beach in the middle of the day."

Ash scratched his head, thinking.

"Is there somewhere else we can battle?" he said.

"There's an arena on the other side of the city," said Korrina. "You have to book it ahead of time, though."

Ash looked displeased. He folded his arms, a sour expression on his face.

Serena reached out to touch Ash on the shoulder.

"Don't worry," she said. "You have plenty of time to train. You can take it easy for now! Your battle with Siebold isn't until next week."

"Right, it's only a week away!" said Ash, looking exasperated.

"It could be almost two weeks away, too," said Serena. "Siebold never gave you a date. He said next week, but he didn't say _when."_

This realization appeared to offer Ash no comfort at all.

"That's even worse!" said Ash. "I've gotta find out when it is!"

Ash moved to break into a run. Before he could, without thinking, Serena grabbed him by the wrist.

"Where are you going?"

"To Siebold's café! I have to find out when my battle with him is. I have to know!"

Ash tried to pull away, but Serena pulled back on him even harder. A wave of panic washed over her heart. He couldn't go back to the café.

He couldn't go back to Miette.

"Ash, he's not going to agree to see you! Didn't you hear when we were there last night? He said he was busy this week!"

Ash tried to pull away again, and Serena grabbed his wrist with both hands. Their eyes met. They were both pleading with each other.

"Serena has a point, Ash," said Clemont. "Siebold is going to be busy in the kitchen. You probably won't have much luck if you barge in and try what you did last night. That might actually hurt your chances of getting to battle him, in fact."

"There's gotta be some way to get an answer from him. I have to go and find out."

"Why do you have to know right now?" said Serena. "You never worry about details like this!"

Ash's brow tightened.

"This battle is really important to me. I have to be ready for it."

Serena narrowed her eyes, but her mouth widened in disbelief. This wasn't the Ash she knew.

"Maybe you should try leaving a message," said Clemont.

"Hey, yeah! I could ask Miette to talk t-"

 _"No!"_

Still holding onto Ash's wrist with both hands, Serena squeezed tighter. Her face turned red as all attention focused on her.

"I'll do it," she said. "I'll find out for you."

"Are you sure?" said Ash. He looked down at her hands wrapped around his own, and then at her eyes.

"I'll do it," said Serena. Her voice shook, and so did her hands. "I'll talk to Siebold for you."

"That would be awesome," said Ash. "I can always count on you, can't I? Thanks."

Ash dared to smile at her as if nothing had happened, as if nothing was wrong.

Serena had no choice but to smile back. She contorted her desperate face, lying to him with her eyes. The expression was physically painful to make.

"Of course!"


	3. Insufficient Tact

Chapter Three - Insufficient Tact

The afternoon became evening. It was as if Korrina had never left the group. Even though their time on the road together was now long in the past, she still fit right in. Everyone let out all of their Pokémon, and they spent the day running through the sand together, catching up and playing games.

It would have been all too easy to pretend that no drama had ever happened, but Serena had no idea how to interact with Ash. Every time she caught his eye, he held her gaze for only a moment before looking down and away. For quite some time, they didn't speak to each other.

When she was unable to stand it anymore, Serena confronted him. While everyone else was distracted, chasing their beach ball as it blew away, she pulled him aside.

"Ash."

She spoke to him in a low whisper, her eyes wide with worry. To her surprise, Ash's eyes mirrored hers. They were filled with worry, too.

He swallowed before he spoke.

"What's up?" he said.

"That's what I wanted to ask _you!"_

Ash scratched the back of his neck. He hesitated.

"I'm... I'm really sorry," he said. "I just can't stop thinking about my battle. It's driving me crazy."

"Will you feel better when I find out when it is for you?"

"Yeah, for sure."

"Then I'll find out before tomorrow."

Ash lifted his cap and ran his fingers through his hair. He looked down at his feet.

"I-"

He stopped himself and looked up at Serena again. Serena held her breath when she saw his eyes. He looked lost. Remorse was written all over his face.

"Thank you," said Ash.

Serena couldn't even begin to imagine what was going on inside his head.

"Of course," she said. "Anything."

Their eyes lingered on each other for another moment. Before Serena could speak again, the moment was lost. The beach ball came flying in their direction, and the two of them were swept up in the game again before they could say another word.

* * *

When it came time for dinner, Korrina showed them to a roadside stand selling cheap food that came served in a paper cone. Though she was skeptical at first, Serena had to admit that it was far better than she expected.

They all sat together on the beach, chatting after their meal. Korrina rambled on about gym challengers, Clemont about his many failed inventions, and Ash about how much he was itching for a battle. Tentative plans were made to meet up again and see a movie. More plans were made for a battle to figure out if Ash-Greninja or Mega Lucario was the strongest.

All was well, just like old times. Well-fed and eager for a good night's sleep, Serena yawned.

And then Ash remembered something.

"Oh yeah, are you going to go and talk to Siebold tonight?" he said.

Serena's stomach tied itself in a knot. How easily she had forgotten.

"Oh, yes, of course!" she said. "I was thinking I would do that now, actually."

"Awesome," said Ash. "Thanks so much. Catch ya later?"

"I'll see you later," said Serena.

With as much dignity as she could muster, Serena waved and then crossed the beach back to the street, walking away from her friends. She didn't look back, wanting to do anything to give the impression that this was what she intended.

Once she was sure she was out of sight, she ducked into an alcove on a quiet street and called out Braixen from her Poké Ball.

Braixen at first looked elated, but then saw her trainer's worried face.

"Sorry, I know you were having fun on the beach today," said Serena. "I've really got myself in trouble."

Braixen pulled her wand out of her tail and lit it. She held it high, searching for enemies.

"Not like that," said Serena. "I promised Ash I would do something and I'm not sure if I can do it."

Braixen put her wand away. She listened.

"Remember what we talked about last night, in our room? About Ash and his battle with Siebold?"

Serena hoped Braixen remembered, but would not blame her if she didn't. The previous night, after their disastrous dinner at _Café des Artistes,_ Serena had shut herself in her room and called out Braixen, Pancham, and Sylveon. She explained to them everything that had happened, in great, laborious detail.

Braixen nodded.

Somehow, Braixen always remembered. Even her most incoherent rambling. Serena sighed. There was so much to explain, once again.

"Well, Siebold never gave Ash an exact time or place for their battle. For some reason, Ash said today that he really needed to know. He wanted to run off and ask Siebold himself, but I stopped him."

Braixen tilted her head.

"Because he could have run into Miette if he went back to the café!"

Braixen made a disgusted face at the mention of Miette's name. Serena giggled.

"That's how I feel about her, too. Anyway, Clemont told Ash he should try to leave a message for Siebold. That gave Ash the idea to leave a message with _Miette."_

Braixen gagged.

"I know, right? I had to do something to stop him from seeing her, so, without thinking, I volunteered to go ask Siebold for him."

Braixen covered her eyes with her paws. She shook her head.

"Don't give me that look. You know why I did it!"

Braixen uncovered her eyes and crossed her arms. She smirked at Serena.

"I had to do _something._ There's something wrong with Ash. I don't understand why this battle means so much to him. He's been acting strange ever since we got our invitation."

Serena poked her head out of the alcove and saw there was no one there. She beckoned Braixen to follow, and they walked down the sidewalk side by side.

"So now, I have to get an Elite Four member and world-famous chef to tell me his schedule, all because Ash had to make this big challenge and Miette, of all people, is working there."

Serena shook her head. Of all the people she was frustrated with, she was the most frustrated with herself. A small stone lay on the sidewalk ahead, and she kicked it far into the distance as she passed.

"I don't know what I'm going to do. I don't know what you can do, either, but I need some moral support."

They stopped at a crossing, and Braixen reached up and took hold of Serena's hand, a tiny sign of affection. Serena smiled.

"I don't know what I'd do without you. You never judge, even when I do silly things like this and worry myself sick. I don't know how you put up with me, sometimes."

Braixen did not respond, but Serena spoke anyway.

"Don't answer that! If you do judge, I don't want to know."

Braixen snickered.

They stopped at another street corner and Serena pulled out her tablet to check where they were going.

"That's what I like best about our relationship. You always know when to say something and when to keep quiet. You pair well with me since I never stop talking when we get a chance to talk."

They crossed another intersection, and Serena put away her tablet, confident in their direction.

"You know, I would say we have a strong bond, but sometimes, I wonder if we do."

Braixen looked up at Serena, aghast.

"I don't mean that in a bad way! I just see what Ash has done with Greninja, and Pikachu, and all his Pokémon, and I wonder if we can do more."

Braixen cast her eyes aside, looking lost in thought.

"Palermo said that I don't have something. She said that was why I couldn't become Kalos Queen. Is it our bond? Are Aria and Delphox that much more in tune with each other than we are?"

Braixen emphatically shook her head.

"I hope you're right. You know more about me than anyone. I don't know what more we can do."

Serena's thoughts drifted for a while. When she spoke again, they had turned away from the sea, heading up the mountainside toward the overlook where _Café des Artistes_ stood.

"I don't know what I'm going to do once this is all over, either. This journey, I mean. We have two more weeks here, and then it's over for real. We're lucky to even have this little bit of extra time."

Serena still couldn't decide if she had plenty of time or no time at all.

"All this time, and I still don't know what I'm going to do. I've put in so much effort, just to be told I don't have something!"

She looked around for another rock to kick, but she couldn't find one.

"I've spent all these days with Ash, but I've never truly spent one _with_ him. I've _failed."_

Braixen began to speak up, unwilling to listen to such negativity.

"I know, I know," said Serena. "It's hard for me not to think like that, sometimes. I had goals, and I haven't achieved any of them. I know I achieved lots of other things, but-"

Serena held the ribbon around her collar.

"The thought of leaving Ash… hurts."

Serena paused to catch her breath. She was doing too much talking to keep a good pace uphill.

"I've thought of asking to go with him, you know. Wherever he goes after this. It doesn't really matter where to me. But I don't think my mom would ever allow it, and I don't think he would understand. I think Ash still believes my greatest dream is to become Kalos Queen."

Serena took a moment to look back toward the water. The sun was nearing the horizon, looking fat and orange.

She ran her fingers over the ribbon again. It was yet another sunset without his hand in hers.

"He has no idea that my greatest dream is _him."_

Serena looked down at her feet. Silent, she turned around, and they ascended the last few blocks to the café.

In front of the door, Serena stood still, working up the nerve to go inside.

"A few times, Ash talked to me about the journeys he went on before. He told me stories."

Serena tried to focus on her reflection in the glass door. Her eyes slid out of focus instead.

"He told me about starting all over again. I used to think it sounded crazy, to just leave behind everyone and everything."

Serena closed her eyes. She bowed her head. She spoke in no more than a whisper.

"It sounds kind of nice, now. It would be fun to see other parts of the world, wouldn't it? It would be a new beginning. We could forget not being good enough. We could forget Palermo. We could forget-"

Serena's eyes opened wide. She couldn't believe her own words. They were words of surrender, words unthinkable to Ash. She was breaking their pact.

She was giving up before it was over.

"...Ash."

She saw her reflection in the glass again. She couldn't stand the sight of herself. The look on Braixen's face broke her heart.

"I'm so sorry. Forget what I said. You deserve better than me."

Serena reached for Braixen's Poké Ball, but before she could activate it, Braixen wrapped herself around Serena's leg in a tight hug.

For a moment, she hesitated, unsure if Braixen was comforting her, or holding onto her in fear. Then, in a rush of clarity, she knew that it didn't matter which, and she fell to her knees and smothered Braixen in an even tighter hug.

"You're the best, you know that? You're always there. Always watching out for me. Always. And I will always be there for you, too."

After lingering for a while, she stood up again, Poké Ball ready.

"Wish me luck."

She returned Braixen to her ball, took a deep breath, and stepped inside.

It was just like last night. The café was crowded and smelled wonderful, and the same jazz trio was playing by the bar.

Before she even made it to the hostess, Serena was going paranoid looking for Miette. There was no sign of her.

"May I help you?"

The hostess beckoned her. Wringing her hands, Serena stepped forward.

"Hello, I was here last night with a friend, and he challenged Siebold to a battle. Siebold accepted, but he didn't say exactly when the battle would be, only that it would be next week. If I could, please, I would like to ask him if he knows when he expects to hold that battle. My friend is very concerned about it."

"I can't let you back in the kitchen to talk to him," said the hostess. "He's very busy right now, and we don't allow patrons in the back anyway."

"Is it possible for me to leave a message for him?"

"I could do that, but there's no guarantee he would get back to you in a timely manner."

Serena felt like pushing her luck.

"Could someone maybe run the message back to him and come back to me with an answer, please? I don't need much. All I need is a date and time."

The hostess looked flustered.

"Well, I- Maybe. We might be able to do that, maybe. We're very busy at the moment, but if we have a staff member headed back to the kitchen right now, we might be able to get you an answer."

"That would be wonderful!" said Serena. "Thank you!"

"Don't thank me yet," said the hostess. "Just a moment."

The hostess stepped away from her desk and disappeared behind a wall, behind which Serena assumed she was searching for an available waiter.

A few seconds later, she reappeared, and the skin on Serena's neck crawled.

The hostess found someone, and that someone was Miette.

"Why, hello!" said Miette. "So pleased to see you again!"

 _"You."_

Serena grit her teeth. She watched the gears turning in Miette's head, putting the pieces together.

Miette smirked at her.

"Does my Ash have a message for Siebold?" said Miette.

"He's not _your_ Ash!"

"From what I saw last night, he's not _your_ Ash, either."

Miette was disgustingly proud of herself. Serena clenched her fists.

"You have no right to claim him as your own!" she said. "Not after everything he and I have been through together!"

Miette pursed her lips into a saccharine smile. She looked up at the ceiling in apparent bliss, relishing the moment.

"Ah, this is too much fun," she said. She met Serena's eyes again. "All may be fair in love and war, but you know you have no right to claim him as your own, either."

"I never said he was!"

"You still haven't made a move, have you?"

"You tried to seduce him!"

"You haven't?"

"No!"

"Goodness!" said Miette, feigning shock, holding her hand up to her mouth. "It's no wonder you're so fired up! After keeping it all inside for so long, it's a wonder why you haven't spontaneously combusted!"

"I haven't had the time! I know you've seen the news! You know we've been busy."

"Have you really been busy saving the world every waking moment of every day since, oh, the day you met him?"

A vein throbbed in Serena's forehead. She was reaching for the words for a scathing retort when Miette interrupted her.

"My point is, you've had the time," she said. "You failed, and now it's too late. I'm taking my turn now."

"It's not too late! It's not over yet! I'm not giving up!"

"Oh? Well, maybe you should. You see, after you left here in such a fuss last night, I took the liberty of inviting Ash to join me at the baking contest Siebold is hosting here, in two days' time. My Ash may not have tasted my delicious confections then, but once he does, it's all over. I know the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, and unlike you, I have the key."

Serena's eyes narrowed.

"You're wrong."

"Am I?"

"I will enter that baking contest, and I will beat you."

"Ooh, I like this!" said Miette, raising her eyebrows. "You know I can't resist a challenge when Ash's heart is the prize."

"And you know that I will never stop fighting for him."

"I wouldn't have it any other way. What fun would this game be if you weren't such a feisty rival?"

"This isn't a game!"

"Indeed, you're right. Love and war - it's a battle."

Serena glared at Miette. Miette smirked right back at her.

"Where do I sign up?" said Serena.

Miette gave her a dismissive wave of the hand.

"I'll see to it that you're saved a spot. I wouldn't dream of winning this competition without getting to savor defeating you along the way. It starts here, two days from now, five o'clock. Be here at four to get set up."

"I will."

At that, Serena turned on her heels and made to leave, but Miette spoke again.

"Oh yes, and my Ash's message for Siebold?"

Miette had her pad of paper and pen in hand, ready to write.

"Forget it," said Serena. For the second night in a row, she stormed out the door.

* * *

The walk back to the hotel was a lonely one. Serena couldn't bring herself to tell Braixen that she had failed to even ask a simple question, and she certainly couldn't face Ash without an answer.

Wondering how everything went so wrong, she lingered on the waterfront. It was getting late. The streets were emptying as the vacationers retreated to their rooms for the night.

And so, Serena found herself sitting alone on a bench, watching the glassy surface of the sea.

She took off her hat and stared into the endless distance. In the quiet, her mind went blank. Time passed, uninterrupted by people or thoughts.

Until she heard a voice next to her.

"Is this seat taken?"

Aria was leaning against the far end of the bench, still dressed as Ariana. Serena gasped, and Aria smiled.

"I didn't mean to startle you! I apologize."

Serena just stared at her.

"May I sit down?" Aria asked.

Nodding her head quickly, Serena replied.

"Yes, of course!"

Aria sat down next to her. Serena couldn't even begin to read the expression on Aria's face. She looked confident, almost serene - like there was nothing at all unusual about a person of her fame finding an acquaintance alone on the street in the middle of the night and joining them on a bench for a chat.

After a short silence, Aria turned to face her.

"I suppose you're wondering what I'm doing here," she said.

Serena hesitated to respond. The answer seemed too obvious.

"Yes, I am," she said.

Aria winked at Serena.

"Well, it just so happens that I'm here doing the same thing you're doing! I'm thinking about things."

Serena couldn't imagine what Aria would have to think about that was so heavy she would have to come here just to think about it alone.

"I have a lot to think about," said Serena. "Too much, really."

Aria nodded as though she understood.

"How have you been since the Master Class?" said Aria. "Busy, I'm sure. I've seen the news."

Serena sighed.

"Everyone has," she said. "Everyone we meet has something to say about it. It's exhausting."

"It is. It's not easy, being in the camera eye."

"You would know, wouldn't you?"

Aria nodded. She smiled.

"I would! What's on your mind, though? What has you here instead of with your friends?"

"Everything is so messed up," said Serena. "I don't even know where to start."

"Why not from the beginning?" said Aria. She rose from the bench and instead sat on the railing separating them from the water, her shadow hovering over Serena.

"It would take all night."

"I have all night."

"You didn't have time earlier today."

"I might not, but _Ariana_ does," Aria said, tapping the frames of her glasses.

Serena understood what Aria meant, but it made the situation all the more unbelievable.

"I can't believe you actually tried to help me earlier today," said Serena. "I can't believe you're here right now!"

"And yet, here I am!" said Aria. Her hands gripping the railing, she crossed her legs. She was still smiling.

"Why?"

"Why are _you_ here?"

"Because I've made so many mistakes, and I can't go back and face my friends," said Serena. "I can't even face my Pokémon right now."

"If they're your friends, I'm sure they will understand if you tell them the truth."

"It's complicated. There's so much I haven't told them."

"Maybe now is the time to tell them."

"No," said Serena. She shook her head, pulling her feet up onto the bench and drawing her knees up to her chest. She wrapped her arms around her legs. "It's not the right time. It's _never_ the right time."

Aria gave her a measured look.

"If you keep waiting, the right time may never come."

Serena sighed. She rested her forehead on her knees.

"I know. I'm running out of time. I'm lucky to have the little time I do have, but I don't know what to do."

Serena looked up at Aria, hoping for an answer. She found the same enigmatic, unreadable, constant smile on her face again. She had the distinct and disquieting feeling that Aria was reading her mind.

"Is it love?" Aria asked.

Serena averted her eyes. Her pulse quickened. She was sure Aria already knew the answer. Asking the question was nothing more than a formality.

"Yes."

"How long has it been?"

"Years."

"Oh my. And the object of your affections has no idea?"

"None."

"All this time, have you been hoping you would be noticed?"

"Yes," said Serena. She looked Aria in the eye again. "And I know how silly it sounds."

Continuing to smile, Aria looked up and away, keeping her mouth shut.

"I think about telling him my feelings all the time," said Serena. "I wonder every day what would happen if I just told him already. I should have done it months ago. Years, even."

Aria met Serena's eyes again, but she continued to keep silent.

"If I had just said _something,_ anything at all, maybe things would have worked out. Maybe they wouldn't have. Even if they hadn't, maybe we still could have been friends anyway and gone on this incredible journey together."

Serena gripped the ribbon around her collar in her fist.

"Maybe, I could have begun to get over him already."

She looked down. She hated her own words.

"Like I should have years ago."

Aria tilted her head to the side. Once again, her expression became more serious.

"If you're still waiting for him to find you, you're going to be lost forever."

Serena grimaced. Resting her head on her knees again, she clenched her eyes shut.

"I know."

Aria came down from the railing, her feet landing on the sidewalk with a clack. Serena opened her eyes and saw Aria gazing up at the half-full moon.

Without looking at Serena, Aria spoke.

"What is he to you?"

Serena's lips parted, and her eyes narrowed. There was no way she could ever adequately answer the question. There was too much to say.

She settled for the best answer she could find.

"He's… _everything_ to me."

Aria leaned against the railing, her arms crossed. She looked at Serena with one eyebrow raised.

"Everything?"

"Yes, everything. I wouldn't be here without him."

"That's why he can't see you, then."

Serena's face scrunched up as she narrowed her eyes at Aria.

"Huh?"

"You say he's everything to you, right?"

"Yes."

Silhouetted against the glassy sea and the stars, Aria spread her arms wide, as if presenting the entire night sky to Serena.

"He's the light of your life, isn't he? Your sun, moon, and stars?"

Serena felt rather red in the face and rather foolish. She laughed nervously. Aria was being ridiculous.

"I… guess you could say that?"

"Then he's too bright."

Serena tilted her head to the side.

 _"Huh?"_

"When it's daytime, and the sun is in the sky, its light is the only light we can see. It's overpowering."

Aria craned her neck up toward the sky.

"When it's nighttime, and the sun goes away, we can see there is so much more in the sky. The stars don't _come out_ at night. They're always there. The light from the sun is so strong that it blinds us to them during the day."

Aria sat down on the bench again. With one knee up on the seat, she faced Serena.

"If he's like the sun to you, that blinding light follows him everywhere. Even though you shine as brightly as all the stars, he can't see you. His light makes you invisible."

Serena stared at Aria.

"What does that mean?"

"It means he can't see you because he's too important to you."

"You mean he can't see me because of how I feel about him?"

"More or less, yes."

"That doesn't make sense! They're _my_ feelings! What do they have to do with why _he_ can't see me?"

A mischievous smile formed on Aria's lips.

"Everything! If he can't see you, you can't _make him_ see. You can't force people to change. Change comes from within."

Serena clenched fistfuls of her dress. Frustration began to show on her face.

"If I can't make him see me, what am I supposed to do?"

"You have to _be_ the change."

"But what do I change?"

Aria held up one finger and winked.

"That's up to you to decide!"

"I've tried to do so much to change myself. None of it has worked!"

"Maybe you've been trying to change the wrong thing."

"I've tried everything!"

"Maybe you need a new perspective. Perhaps it's not that he hasn't noticed you, but that you haven't noticed him."

Serena's jaw dropped.

"That's ridiculous!"

Aria smiled.

"Is it?"

"Yes!"

"Why?"

"I've spent every day of our journey trying to find a way to get through to him! I think about him all the time!"

"What does _he_ see, then?"

"He doesn't see anything! He's oblivious!"

"Exactly! He can't see you because of all that blinding light, and you can't see him, either."

Serena pulled her knees even tighter to her chest.

"What do I _do,_ though?"

Aria shrugged.

"I wish I could tell you."

"You _know?"_

Aria shifted her eyes aside.

"Maybe?"

"Why can't you tell me?"

"It's not my place to tell you. Change comes from within!"

Serena grabbed her hair and groaned into her knees.

"I don't understand! What am I missing? What don't I have?!"

Serena jumped at the feeling of a touch. Aria placed a hand on her back.

For a moment, Serena didn't breathe. But then, when Aria began to rub up and down, smoothing over the fabric of her dress, she exhaled deeply.

"You said you were here because you couldn't face your friends right now," said Aria. "You said you made a mistake. What did you do?"

Serena sighed.

"I promised Ash I would do something for him, and I can't do it."

Aria pulled her hand away from Serena's back.

"What did you promise to do?"

"He challenged Siebold to a battle. Siebold accepted his challenge, but he didn't say when or where they would battle. I promised I would find out for him."

"Were you not able to get in touch with Siebold?"

"No, but-"

Serena clenched her jaw. She pounded her fist on the bench.

"It's all Miette's fault!"

"Miette?"

"She wants Ash, too! She tried to tempt him with chocolates when we were at the café last night. Tonight, when I went to see Siebold, she taunted me and told me she invited Ash to come see her compete in a baking contest. I told her I would enter the contest and beat her, and then I left without getting an answer!"

Serena pulled her head up from her knees and looked at Aria. Through pursed lips, Aria smiled back at her.

"Hmm," Aria hummed.

"I don't know what to do!" Serena said, clutching her head in her hands. "I have no answer and no plan! I have nothing!"

Aria reached into her bag.

"I can't go back to Ash without an answer," said Serena. "I don't know why, but it means so much to him. I can't fail him. I need a miracle."

"Ask, and you shall receive."

Aria removed a phone from her bag. She looked very pleased with herself. With a few swipes, she unlocked it and began typing.

Serena was torn, both trying her best not to watch and unable to keep her eyes away.

Her curiosity was satisfied when Aria held the phone up for her to see.

It was a text message to Siebold.

 _hey, i heard you're going to have a battle with that Ash guy! when do you think it will be? i'd like to see it :)_

Serena was speechless.

Of course Aria had Siebold's number. She was the most famous person in Kalos. Elite Four members and world-famous chefs were common company for her. It was nothing for her to have casual conversation with celebrities.

As Serena struggled to form words, Aria's phone buzzed, and a new message appeared underneath the first one. Serena clapped her hands over her mouth.

 _I was thinking next Saturday, 10 AM. I'm making a reservation at the Monego City Arena. Will you be in town? There may be press coverage._

Aria turned her phone to look at it and smiled.

"I knew it! He's always up at this hour! Such a Noctowl."

Serena jumped up from the bench.

"Yes! Thank you! Thank you thank you _thank you!"_

Serena jumped for joy. Aria laughed as she watched.

"I can't thank you enough!" said Serena.

Aria brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face. She looked a bit red, perhaps even embarrassed.

"It was really the least I could do," she said.

"I can't believe it! You've saved me!" said Serena. She held a hand to her heart. "I just don't believe it! I don't understand! How? Why?"

Aria locked eyes with her. She smiled yet again, but this one was bittersweet.

"I wanted to help you."

"But why?"

"I know Palermo spoke to you after the Master Class showcase. I know what she gave you, and I know what she said to you."

Serena's stomach squirmed, and her eyes widened.

"You know?"

"She told me."

Hands folded in front of her chest, Serena leaned forward, pleading.

"What did she mean?"

Aria closed her eyes and sighed. When she opened her eyes again, she looked at Serena and shook her head.

"It's not my place to tell you."

"What? Why? You said you wanted to help me!"

"I do want to help!" said Aria. "And _change…"_

Serena turned her eyes down from Aria's gaze. She knew what she was supposed to say.

"...comes from within," said Serena.

"Exactly!"

Serena looked up at Aria again.

"Does that mean you want me to figure it out myself?"

Aria nodded.

"Mhmm!" she hummed.

"How am I supposed to do that? I hear Palermo's voice in my head all the time, second-guessing everything I do! It's driving me crazy! I feel like my brain is coming unraveled!"

"You'll know when you figure it out."

"How will I know?"

Aria rose from the bench. Standing, she smiled down at Serena, bittersweet.

"A great question, for another time."

"Another time?"

Adjusting her bag over her shoulder, Aria nodded.

"I'll see you around. Until then, take care of yourself, okay?"

Serena could only stammer. Nothing made sense.

"It's been good seeing you!" Aria said. "Have a good night."

Aria waved, and she left Serena on the bench, alone and confused.

* * *

When Aria was out of sight, Serena let out a sigh and slumped over on the bench seat, resting on her side.

Somehow, against all odds, she was going to return to the hotel with what she left to find, yet she wasn't satisfied at all. She had no idea so many questions could fit inside her brain.

Aria _knew._ She knew what she lacked, and she wouldn't tell. It made Serena itch. The answer was so close.

Change comes from within? What was she supposed to change? She had already changed so much about herself. What was there left to change?

What did she not understand about Ash? She knew everything about him. She memorized his mannerisms. She committed all of their conversations to memory. She took all of his advice to heart. How could she not understand his perspective?

And despite all that - _next Saturday, 10 AM, Monego City Arena._ She had the one nugget of information she sought. She had what she needed to begin to make everything right again. Aria had saved her, exonerated her. For what?

She stood up and leaned on the railing, watching the ripples in the water. It was late. It would soon be a new day. Tomorrow was another chance to prove herself, another chance to grow, another chance to discover what she lacked. It wasn't time to give up, and it wasn't over.

 _Next Saturday, 10 AM, Monego City Arena._

She repeated it over and over in her head. That would be their last day in the city. Ash had almost two full weeks to prepare. She couldn't wait to tell him. She would put his mind at ease, and everything would be okay again.

Gathering her resolve, she resumed her walk back to the hotel.

Monego City was beautiful, even if it felt like she wasn't meant to be here. She admired the reflection of the moon on the water as she passed the white sands of the beach.

But then, she paused. The beach wasn't empty. There was a commotion of noise and movement.

A group of figures was gathered near the water, of varying shapes and sizes. She squinted to look closer.

Then, as the moonlight struck the surface of the sea at the exact right location, she saw a familiar head of untidy hair illuminated in the distance, tossing about in the breeze.

It was Ash. He was far from alone. With him were all his Pokémon, plus Clemont and Korrina, and their Pokémon.

They were in the middle of a battle.

Serena removed her shoes and stockings and then stepped onto the sand. As she drew closer, the scene became clear.

Commanding both Pikachu and Greninja, Ash was battling against Clemont and Korrina at the same time. It was two trainers against one.

"Greninja, Water Shuriken! Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

"Lucario, Protect!"

"Luxray, Swift!"

Greninja and Pikachu launched their attacks. Opposite them, Lucario became surrounded by a glowing force field. Luxray fired an array of stars at the incoming Water Shuriken.

The attacks collided. The Swift and the Water Shuriken both fizzled out, neither reaching their targets. Pikachu's Thunderbolt dissolved harmlessly on Lucario's shield.

Ash was preparing to call another move when he caught sight of Serena out of the corner of his eye.

"Hey! You're just in time!" he said, waving to Serena.

The battle came to a halt as Clemont and Korrina saw why Ash was waving.

"Indeed, perfect timing," said Clemont. "We only just began the battle, and two against one is hardly a fair fight."

From the sidelines, with all the other Pokémon, Bonnie pouted at Clemont.

"It would have been fair if you let me and Dedenne battle! We can take you and Korrina any day! Can't we?"

Bonnie opened up her bag. Dedenne was asleep inside.

Korrina laughed, and Bonnie pouted some more.

Serena approached Ash. She took a wary look at the improvised battlefield.

"You want me to be your battle partner?" she said.

Ash pumped his fist.

"Yeah, definitely!"

The confident smile Ash gave her made her heart flutter.

Her heart received a jolt when Ash spoke again.

"Did you find out when my battle is?" he said, his expression becoming more serious.

Serena stammered as she tried to form the right words.

"Yes! Yes, I did," she said, beaming at him. "It's Saturday next week at ten in the morning, at the Monego City Arena."

"Awesome!" Ash said, pumping his fist again. "That gives us plenty of time to train. Thanks for finding out for me."

"You're welcome! That's our last day here in the city. You really do have plenty of time."

Ash had so much time, Serena thought, that he could afford to take a night off and spend some alone time with her, but she kept it to herself. A battle would have to suffice for now.

"Is Serena going to join us?" Korrina asked, waving from the other side of the field.

Ash raised an eyebrow at Serena.

"Are you gonna join us?"

"Um…"

Serena bit her lip. She looked at Lucario and Luxray standing on the far side of the field, and Pikachu and Greninja on the near side.

"I know you'll do great," said Ash. "You and Braixen are awesome together."

Serena's heart filled with warmth. Nervous, but very much willing, she nodded.

"Okay."

"Great! Hey, Pikachu! Let's give Serena and Braixen a turn! You've done great so far, buddy."

Pikachu wished Greninja luck and ran off to the sideline to join the other Pokémon.

Serena reached into her bag and pulled out a Poké Ball.

"Braixen! I choose you!"

Serena tossed the ball onto the field, and Braixen emerged from it. A moment later, Braixen removed her wand from the safety of her tail and ignited it. She exchanged a glance with Greninja, who nodded in reply.

Across the battlefield, Luxray and Lucario dug their feet into the sand, ready to charge.

"Is everyone ready?" said Bonnie.

"We're always ready!" said Korrina.

Serena met eyes with Ash. Ash grinned at her.

"And we are, too!" he said.

Bonnie jumped, one hand in the air like an official judge.

 _"Begin!"_

"Greninja! Water Shuriken on Lucario!"

"Lucario, Force Palm! Block it!"

"Luxray, Swift!"

Greninja jumped high into the air and fired a rain of water stars at Lucario. Lucario, in turn, emanated a wave of energy from his palm. The stars rained down on him, and they all fell harmlessly to the ground, their course diverted.

Luxray, meanwhile, fired his own rain of stars.

Serena just stood still. Everyone else was moving so fast.

"Watch out!" said Ash. "That Swift will hit both Greninja and Braixen!"

"Braixen, Hidden Power!"

Braixen conjured three blue spheres of energy with her wand. She fired them just in time to protect herself. The attack absorbed the Swift stars which would have hit her.

Greninja was not so lucky. He braced himself and took the blow.

"Lucario, Mach Punch on Greninja!"

"Aerial Ace!"

Both Lucario and Greninja disappeared with incredible speed. A fraction of a second later, the two reappeared, both behind each other, both smarting from a hit.

"Cut!"

"Force Palm!"

Greninja swung around, poised to strike. Before he could land the blow, Lucario was radiating energy from his palm again, forcing Greninja back.

There was so much happening at once. Serena gulped. She knew she had to call a move.

"Braixen, Flamethrower on Lucario!"

Immediately, Greninja saw the incoming attack and vanished, reappearing well out of harm's way. Lucario braced for impact.

"Protect!"

Lucario surrounded himself with a shield of energy. Braixen's Flamethrower hit the shield and wrapped around it, cut in half. Lucario stood strong. Braixen's attack did nothing.

"Luxray, Thunder Fang!"

Farther away on the battlefield, Greninja dodged Luxray's vicious Thunder Fang by only a hair.

Clemont smirked as he adjusted his glasses.

"Now that Pikachu is out of the battle, let's give this a try. Luxray, Electric Terrain!"

Luxray growled, and electrical energy surrounded his body. From each of his paws, it surged into the ground. The other combatants all stopped in their tracks. The sand beneath them crackled with sparks.

The hairs on Serena's arms and neck stood on end.

"Luxray, Wild Charge on Greninja!"

"Greninja, Double Team!"

"Lucario, Aura Sphere on Greninja!"

Supercharged, Luxray ripped across the battlefield, sparks flying everywhere. A moment before impact, Greninja split into copies and scattered all around. The original image disappeared the instant Luxray touched it.

Unconcerned, Lucario blindly fired an Aura Sphere. As soon as it left his hand, it changed course, veering off to the side. The attack could not be fooled.

"Greninja, Water Pulse!"

The copies of Greninja vanished, and only the real one remained, staring down the oncoming Aura Sphere. He fired a water pulse into its path.

The two attacks collided, and Greninja vanished again.

"Water Shuriken!"

"Luxray, Swift!"

Serena had no idea what to do, but she felt like she had to call an attack. So, she did.

"Braixen, Flamethrower on Lucario, again!"

"Protect!"

With both Water Shuriken and Flamethrower bearing down on him, Lucario again surrounded himself with a shield. Luxray's Swift ate the Water Shuriken before it could land, and Protect easily held off the Flamethrower.

"We've gotta take one of them out!" said Ash. "Let's focus on Luxray!"

Serena nodded, but she froze when Clemont spoke.

"Not a wise move, discussing your strategy out loud! Luxray, use Thunder Fang on Braixen!"

Luxray roared, and his mouth exploded with sparks. He charged at Braixen. Braixen readied her wand.

Serena clenched her fists. She wasn't sure if Braixen could withstand the hit.

"Fire Blast!"

"Water Shuriken on Luxray!"

"Oh no you don't! Mach Punch!"

In an instant, Greninja and Lucario met in midair. It wasn't attack meeting attack. It was fist meeting face.

Braixen fired. The five-point blast met Luxray head-on.

Serena pumped her own fist as Luxray stopped in his tracks from the impact.

"Yes! Braixen, Flamethrower!"

"Lucario, Aura Sphere on Braixen!"

From high above, Lucario fired the Aura Sphere.

Serena gasped.

"Block the Aura Sphere, Braixen!"

Braixen redirected her Flamethrower upward, firing into the path of the Aura Sphere. The Aura Sphere continued, cutting through the Flamethrower before fizzling out right at the tip of Braixen's wand.

Meanwhile, Luxray shook off the dust.

"Luxray, Wild Charge!"

Luxray erupted in sparks again, flying across the field toward Braixen.

"Greninja, Aerial Ace! Protect Braixen!"

Serena had no time to protest. Before she could say a word, Greninja was in front of Luxray, blocking the path.

He took a direct hit.

While Luxray recoiled from the impact, Greninja went flying, thrown a great distance backward. He came rolling to a stop a few feet away from Braixen.

Korrina wasted no time.

"Lucario, Close Combat!"

"Fire Blast!"

Serena's command left her mouth as a desperate plea. There wasn't enough time. Lucario was much too close.

And Fire Blast was not quick enough.

Lucario drove a foot into Greninja's side with such force that he was lifted into the air. Lucario met Greninja's upward movement with a downward swing of his fists. As Greninja began to fall, Lucario struck a third and final time, this time with his knee into Greninja's stomach.

When Greninja hit the ground, he did not move.

Braixen fired.

"Dodge!"

Lucario also hit the ground, ducking beneath the Fire Blast.

In that moment, Serena felt very, very alone. Braixen stood by herself, with Lucario and Luxray both facing her down. There was no hope. She couldn't fight them alone. She wasn't strong enough.

 _You don't have it._

Serena closed her eyes and waited for the end which was sure to come.

But it didn't come.

"I think that's enough for now," said Clemont. "Good work, Luxray."

"You too, Lucario!" said Korrina. "You did awesome!"

Serena opened her eyes and saw Luxray and Lucario walking off the battlefield, back to their trainers. Ash, receiving a small shock as he entered the still-electrified battlefield, ran to Greninja's side. He was quickly joined by Pikachu.

"Greninja! Are you okay?"

Ash scooped Greninja up in his arms. A few seconds later, Greninja opened his eyes and croaked out a response.

"I'm so sorry," Ash said, shaking his head. "That was my mistake. I should have called another move. I'll do better next time, I promise."

Greninja nodded, and he moved in Ash's arms. Ash let go, and with some difficulty, Greninja rose to one knee.

Braixen looked back at Serena. Serena didn't know what to say. After a few too many moments of silence, Braixen ran over to Greninja's side.

Across the field, Clemont and Korrina were having an energetic, animated discussion about their victory. Bonnie was with them, bouncing on the tips of her toes. As Serena's gaze lingered on them, her heart ached. If only it could have been her and Ash celebrating instead.

She looked at Ash. Their eyes met.

Serena spoke first.

"I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry," Ash said, shaking his head. "That was my fault."

"It wouldn't have happened if I were a better trainer."

"It's not your fault! It happened because I chose to do it."

Serena narrowed her eyes at him.

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to protect Braixen."

Ash paused for a few seconds.

"And you," he added.

Serena's heart skipped a beat.

"Me?"

"I didn't want you to get hurt."

Serena's brow tightened. Of all of Ash's oblivious responses, this one was the most ridiculous. He had no idea.

He hurt her every day.

"Ash, this was a _battle._ Why did you ask me to be your partner if you didn't want me or Braixen to get hurt?"

Ash opened his mouth to speak, but he said nothing. He just stared.

Serena couldn't breathe. Not without his response.

"Ash?" she whispered.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For everything."

Silence hung between them.

"I have to get back to training."

Hands in his pockets, Ash turned and walked away.


	4. Grace Under Pressure

Chapter Four - Grace Under Pressure

The next morning came much too soon for Serena's liking. After their debacle of a battle, Ash hurried away to take Greninja to the Pokémon Center, leaving with hardly a word. Everyone said goodnight to Korrina, and Serena headed back to the penthouse with Clemont and Bonnie. Without Ash to fill the silent air, she had plenty of time to think about their loss.

The next thing she knew, the sun was up and blaring through her window, shining right into her eyes. Squinting, she shambled her way out of bed and over to the window, drawing the blinds shut.

In the half-darkness of early morning, Serena sat on the edge of her bed, rubbing her temples. Her head throbbed. Even the narrow beams of light which slipped under the blinds and crept across the floor were too much for her weary eyes.

She tried to wrap her mind around everything that had happened. She may have lost the battle with Ash, but the war for his heart was far from over. The baking contest was tomorrow. She had a whole day to prepare.

Just like Ash, she was determined to use all the time she had.

Words and faces flew through her aching head.

 _I didn't want you to get hurt._

 _You still haven't made a move, have you?_

 _Change comes from within._

 _You don't have it._

Serena rose from her bed and changed into her day clothes. Quietly, she left the penthouse. It was time to get started.

It was time to make a change.

A few minutes later, grateful she remembered the spot from her shopping trip the day before, Serena stepped into a corner supermarket along the waterfront.

It was quiet inside, mostly empty, only a few other lost souls milling about through the aisles in the early morning. Serena grabbed a basket and headed for the produce section. The market's emptiness was exactly what she needed. It afforded her the precious time she needed to think in peace.

She mulled over the selection of berries on display. They ranged from mundane to exotic. Varieties she had never seen before filled the display stands. Gaudy price tags were attached to fruits shaped like stars and covered in spikes.

Serena reached into her bag and pulled out the voucher. Confirming what she suspected, she smirked to herself. It felt like robbery, but just like at Siebold's café, all her purchases here were covered.

She loaded up her basket with berries, her mind overflowing with ideas.

She was so lost inside her own head, she jumped in surprise when she heard a voice.

"You know, usually there's no competition for the Durin Berries."

Her basket spilling all over the floor, Serena turned and saw a familiar face next to her. Aria, again dressed as Ariana, was smiling at her.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to startle you again! Here, let me help."

Aria had a basket of her own, with a few items in it. She set it down on the floor and knelt down next to Serena. Before Serena could process what was happening, Aria turned Serena's basket upright again and began collecting its spilled contents.

For a moment, Serena was too stunned by Aria's appearance to react. But then, she shook her head and knelt down with her.

"Thank you," said Serena. "I can't believe I did that."

Rather red in the face, Serena kept her eyes away from Aria.

"You're welcome!" said Aria. "Really, I owe you an apology. I'm so sorry I startled you yet again."

"It's okay! It's not a bad-"

Serena paused as her hand touched Aria's, the two of them both reaching for the same berry.

"-surprise."

Aria grinned, and she plucked the berry away. She placed it back in Serena's basket and then rose to her feet.

Serena finished picking up the last few berries and also rose to her feet. Aria leaned in, and she whispered in Serena's ear.

"Usually, I have no trouble avoiding people who know me when I shop this early in the morning!"

Aria pulled away, looking amused. Serena noticed the basket Aria was carrying.

"Don't-"

Serena stopped herself. She leaned in toward Aria's ear and spoke again in a whisper.

"Don't you have a personal chef or something?"

"Sometimes! Not right now, though. It's fun to get a chance to cook for myself for a change."

Serena gave Aria a confused look. She had so many questions.

Before she could ask anything, Aria spoke again.

"What about you? What has you here so early?"

Serena looked down at her basket of now slightly bruised berries.

"The baking contest is tomorrow, and I want to practice for it today. I have a macaron recipe I always make, but I want to try something different. I wanted to get a bunch of berries to try making new flavors."

Aria raised an eyebrow.

"Making a change, huh?"

Serena smiled back at her.

"Change comes from within, doesn't it?"

"It does!" said Aria. "It sounds like you're taking a step in the right direction."

Serena smiled, and Aria smiled back. As the two held each other's gaze for a moment, an idea occurred to Serena. The corner of her mouth turned upward into a smirk.

"How will I know when I've figured it out?" she asked.

"Hmm?"

"What Palermo meant. How will I know when I've figured it out? You said it was a question for another time."

Aria nodded as if considering Serena's words.

"And it's another time now, isn't it?" she said.

"It is!" said Serena. "So, how will I know?"

Serena looked again at Aria's half-full basket. She knew she had her trapped.

Aria took a Durin Berry from the display. She turned it over in her hands, examining it.

"Delphox's favorite," she said, giving Serena an aside glance.

"No backing out this time!" said Serena.

Aria shook her head.

"You're not going to like the answer."

"Tell me."

"You'll know you've found the answer when it doesn't matter to you anymore."

Serena's shoulders slumped. Aria shrugged, and she held up her hands in defense.

"It's the truth! I said you wouldn't like it."

"What kind of answer is that?"

"It's the most honest answer I can give you while leaving you room to figure things out for yourself."

"What if I don't figure it out? I feel like I'm losing my mind over it."

"You'll find out eventually, one way or another. You have to."

"I _have to?"_

"It's inevitable. Either you'll figure it all out, or I'll explain when the right time comes."

"But what if I never see you again? You're, you know… _You."_

Aria shook her head, eyes closed.

"I wouldn't worry about that. I'm sure we'll meet again soon."

"But, you're…"

"On vacation."

Aria's enigmatic smile returned. When Serena gave Aria a confused look in reply, Aria tapped the frames of her glasses, raising one eyebrow.

"I'll see you around," said Aria.

At that, Aria placed a Durin Berry in her basket and walked away.

"You too," Serena said as Aria disappeared down the next aisle.

When she realized what she had said, Serena turned red.

* * *

Back at the penthouse, Serena found Clemont and Bonnie awake and confused as to where she had gone. After a brief explanation about the baking contest and what she planned to do, Clemont and Bonnie left to spend the day at the beach with Korrina.

Ash remained in his room, sound asleep.

Left on her own, Serena called out Braixen. The two of them turned the once-spotless kitchen into a disaster area. Baking all day, they prepared batch after batch of macarons, each one flavored differently than the last.

Serena hated all of them.

She left the uneaten ones on a tray and retired to her bedroom. After spending the whole day on her feet, mashing berries and mixing ingredients, Serena could do nothing but take a warm shower and collapse into her bed. Laying face-down in a heap, sleep came immediately.

Hours later, well into the night, she rolled over. When she opened her eyes, she saw Braixen standing in front of the window. Braixen was as still as a statue, watching something from afar with great interest.

Curious, Serena left the bed and joined Braixen by the window. At first, it seemed like Braixen was staring at nothing, but then, there was a flash in the dark, and Serena saw. Her heart skipped a beat.

It was Ash and all his Pokémon, training on the beach.

The familiar light of Pikachu's Thunderbolt flickered in the distance. Serena held a hand to her heart. The longer she watched, the clearer the scene became. They were alone, training through the night.

Ash was a mere speck in Serena's vision. It was the only time she had seen him awake all day. For reasons beyond her understanding, she felt guilty.

Ash knew nothing of what had happened to her. He had no idea about her accepting Miette's challenge or her encounters with Aria. Their last interaction had been on the beach, the night before.

A thought occurred to Serena, and she looked at the writing desk on the far side of her room. A pad of Diantha's personal stationery rested there.

Flicking on a lamp, Serena sat down at the desk. Despite everything, there were some things she could still tell him. Some things were easy to explain. Picking up the pen next to the stationery, she wrote.

Her own loopy handwriting felt insufficient for the stationery, childish in comparison to the stately letter she had received.

 _"Ash,_

 _I'm sorry we haven't seen each other all day! I have so much to say, and I wanted to leave this for you in case I don't get to talk to you before tomorrow night._

 _I'm sorry our double battle went the way it did. I hope Greninja is okay. I'm touched that you wanted to protect me and Braixen. I would love to talk more about what happened, if you have the time._

 _As you may have seen - and smelled! - I've been baking all day. I didn't have time to explain yesterday, but I'm going to enter the baking contest with Miette, and I'm going to try to beat her. I know she invited you to come to the contest, but you don't have to come if it will get in the way of your training. I know it's important to you._

 _It's only been a few days since we arrived here, and I know how weird this must sound, but I feel like we've barely seen each other. I really hope we can spend more time together before we leave. It would mean a lot to me. There is so much I still need to tell you._

 _This has been such an incredible journey, and I want to make the most of our last days together. I hope we can truly make this a vacation to remember._

 _-Serena"_

When she finished, Serena held the pen, hovering over where she signed her name. For a few minutes, she deliberated over whether or not to add a small heart to her signature.

Deciding against it, she folded the note and tiptoed out into the hall, sneaking into Ash's room. She left the note on his pillow.

Returning to her room, fatigue overtook Serena again, and she drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Serena returned to the kitchen. To her surprise, the tray of macarons was empty.

Before she had time to wonder what happened, she heard a snore from the living room.

On her toes, she stepped into the room. As she crept toward the sofa, a trail of sand and discarded objects came into view. Leading from the door, there was first a bag, then one shoe, then another, then a jacket, then a hat.

At the end of it all was Ash, asleep, face-down on the sofa. Pikachu was splayed out on his back, looking exhausted even in slumber.

Silently, Serena stepped back out of the room and down the hall. When she poked her head into Ash's bedroom, she confirmed her suspicions. Her note to him still sat on his pillow. Ash's bed was untouched. He never made it there. He collapsed on the sofa as soon as he returned.

Serena picked up her neglected note and took it with her back to the living room. This time, she quietly stepped up next to Ash.

Her heart ached with worry. Ash was ragged. In addition to the trail across the carpet, there was sand in his hair and all over his clothes. Pikachu's fur was unkempt and showed clear signs of battle. There was no doubt they had trained all night.

Serena knelt down beside the sofa. No matter how complicated things had become between the two of them, she still felt an undeniable desire to tend to Ash, to comfort him. She wanted to run her hands through his hair, to clean away the sand, to smooth it down again. She wanted him to tell her where he was sore, so she could massage his worn muscles, and his joints could move freely again.

She wondered where to place the note. She wanted it to be the first thing he saw when he woke.

There was a large, open patch of cushion right in front of Ash's face. It seemed too perfect, and it was. Serena set the note there, only for Ash's very next breath to send it blowing away, right into her face.

She snorted and tried to restrain a giggle. Peeling the note from her face, she covered her mouth and held back laughter while she searched for a more suitable spot. She settled on placing the note inside his hat, discarded on the floor.

It was quiet. Clemont and Bonnie weren't awake yet. Unsure what to do, Serena sat down on the floor in front of the sofa. She leaned her back against it. Listening to the sounds of his breathing, she wondered when Ash would wake, and if she would have time to explain everything.

Her chance came sooner than expected.

"Serena?"

Serena turned around and saw Ash's bleary eyes looking at her, each open only a sliver.

"Ash! I thought you were asleep!"

"I thought it was you," said Ash, closing his eyes again. He let out a long breath and sank even deeper into the cushions. "Thought I recognized the back of your head."

"Did I wake you up?"

"Dunno. I heard something."

"I didn't mean to wake you up! I'm so sorry! You look so tired! I just wanted to check on you! I'm sorry I made too much noise!"

"It's okay. I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?"

Serena was far from convinced. In all the time she had known him, even when Ash was undergoing the most intense training, he never neglected sleep. She had never seen him so tired.

Why was he doing this to himself?

"Yeah, I'm sure," he said. His voice was groggy, full of fatigue.

Serena wanted to object, but she bit her tongue. What good would it do to voice her concerns now? He was doing the one thing she wanted him to do - resting.

Ash took a few more deep, sleepy breaths. Serena watched him, hands folded over her heart. She was surprised when he spoke again.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was checking on you. I left a note for you on your pillow last night, but when I saw you here on the sofa, I thought you might have missed it, so I brought it to you."

"A note?"

Ash opened his eyes and pushed himself up from the cushions. Pikachu went rolling off his back and fell to the floor.

"Sorry, buddy," Ash said. He tried to rub the sleep out of his eyes.

Pikachu looked dazed. He struggled to get both of his eyes open as he shook off the sleep.

Serena reached out as if to push Ash back down, but she stopped herself halfway.

"What are you doing? You're so tired! Go back to sleep."

"I wanna read the note."

Serena bit her lip, and she folded her hands in front of her stomach. She had never planned on being present when Ash read the note. She was so confused. Normally, he would never show this kind of interest in something so mundane.

"It's not that important," she said. "You can read it anytime."

"It must be important if you took the time to write it."

"It-"

Serena froze. The two of them met eyes for a moment, but she looked away. She looked at his hat on the floor.

"It's in your hat," she said. "I tucked it in there so you would be sure to find it when you woke up. Now please, go back to sleep. You need it!"

"I will. I just wanna see the note first."

Ash leaned forward to reach for his hat on the floor. This time, Serena stopped him. She gripped him by shoulders and pushed him back onto the sofa. His resistance was much weaker than she expected.

"You don't have to get up!"

"I've gotta know what it says."

Serena couldn't believe what she was hearing. Even for Ash, this level of stubbornness was ridiculous.

"I wrote the note! I know what it says."

Ash rubbed his face up and down with both hands several times, looking like he was trying to force his eyes to stay open.

"What does it say?"

Serena couldn't look him in the eye.

"It's about a baking contest that's being held today at Siebold's café. I'm going to enter it."

"Oh yeah," Ash said, his sleep-deprived eyes registering a hint of recognition. "Miette mentioned a baking contest. She said I should come. That's awesome that you're going to enter. You'll win it, for sure! Your macarons are too good to lose."

Something occurred to Serena.

"Do you know what happened to the tray of macarons I left in the kitchen?"

Ash grinned. He rubbed his stomach.

"Yeah, I ate 'em all! I hope you didn't need them for something else. They were good."

Serena raised an eyebrow.

"Don't lie to me, Ash."

"Lie to you? About what?"

"About the macarons."

"I'm not lying! I really did eat them all."

"About how _good_ they were. I know they weren't good."

"I wasn't lying! I liked them."

"Even all the new flavors?"

"Well, uh, they were interesting!"

Serena's face tightened.

"In a good way!" said Ash. "There were some pretty weird ones, though."

Serena looked downward.

"I wanted to try something new for the baking contest."

"You don't need to. No one can beat your normal macarons."

Serena met his eyes again.

"I wish I believed you."

"I mean it! Do you know how good your macarons are? They're amazing! If you make them, there's no way you'll lose that contest. You'll win it, no question."

Serena had too many conflicting emotions. While she was filled with doubt, her heart fluttered at Ash's casual, certain belief that she would win.

He believed she would beat Miette.

Feeling warm in the face, Serena looked away again.

"Thank you."

"No problem!" said Ash. "Was there anything else important on the note?"

"No-"

Serena stopped herself. She clenched her eyes shut and sighed.

She had told enough lies already.

 _"Yes,"_ she said, correcting herself. "You don't need to come to the contest. You're so exhausted. Stay here and relax today. You need it."

"I can't miss you taking on Miette! I have to see that."

"You can miss this. I understand. It's probably for the best. I don't want to interfere with your training."

"No way. I'm gonna be there to see it. It'll make your victory that much sweeter."

Serena couldn't stand it. Any other day, under any other circumstances, she would be melting from what he was saying.

But not today. She had to keep him away from Miette. She couldn't risk it.

"Please, you don't have to. It's more important to me that you get the rest you so clearly need. I'll be okay on my own. Really."

"It's more important to me that I'm there to cheer you on! I can't miss it. I'll be there, no matter what."

Ash's eyes were tired and weak, but Serena knew the look he was giving her. There was no changing his mind. There was nothing she could do.

She played with the idea of abandoning the contest. She could tell Ash she changed her mind about entering, so he didn't need to go. She knew it would never work, though.

That would be giving up before the end.

Serena put on the best fake smile she could, and she stood.

"I'll see you there," she said. "Try to get some sleep before then, okay?"

* * *

When Serena arrived at _Café des Artistes,_ she found it to be somehow even more full of people than either of her previous visits. Parked in front of the entrance, a TV van was being unloaded by its crew. The sight of it tied Serena's stomach in knots. A Magnemite hovered by the large antenna atop the van, working with one of the crew members. A Voltorb was connected to a generator, powering all the equipment.

Inside, a team of Machoke was clearing the dining room floor of tables, stacking them against a far wall. In place of the regular furniture, half of the floor had been turned into a seating area for the audience. The other half contained many kitchen work tables and ovens. Cameras, stage lights, and microphones were everywhere.

And leaning on a wall in the foyer was Miette.

Serena grimaced at the sight of her. Miette had her arms folded, a smirk on her face.

"Why, look who showed up!" said Miette. "I have to admit, I'm pleasantly surprised. I wasn't sure you would actually go through with this."

Serena walked up to Miette and crossed her own arms. She glared at her.

"You didn't tell me this would be on TV," said Serena. "I'm sick of cameras!"

Miette scoffed.

"Left out that little detail, did I? What did you expect? Siebold is famous. This is his café. Of course a competition hosted by him would be on TV!"

Under her folded arms, Serena clenched her fists.

"And of course you would use a spectacle like this to try to win over Ash," she said.

"Yes, I would! What better place to end our little battle than on a stage, for all the world to see?"

"You're going to fail. You don't know him like I do. He doesn't want this."

"You don't know that," Miette said, shaking her head. "You may know him better than me, but you _clearly_ don't know the secret to his heart."

"I know him well enough to know that _you_ don't know it, either."

Miette shrugged.

"Hmm. Maybe so. But if I succeed, it's going to be televised for the whole world to see. Everyone is going to know you failed."

"Why do you even want him? You two have nothing in common!"

"He's cute, _duh!_ Surely you've noticed that."

Serena stuttered. Before she could speak, Miette laughed.

"Also, it rattles you! I can't resist that. It's too much fun! Plus, he's famous now."

"Ash would never fall for someone as shallow as you."

"And he'll never fall for someone as shy as you. We'll just keep doing this dance forever until he gets bored and moves on."

Serena stared at Miette.

"Do you not actually care about him?" she said.

"Not really," said Miette. "If I win his heart, that's all the better, and if I don't, at least I had fun. It doesn't matter if _I_ fail. You, on the other hand-"

 _"I_ care about him! He matters more to me than you could ever know."

"Too bad that hasn't helped you one bit."

A vein throbbed in Serena's neck, one she had never noticed before.

"It certainly won't help you here," Miette continued. "It doesn't matter how much you love him. I'm the better baker, and he's going to taste the difference. Everyone will."

"We tied in the one baking contest we entered before! What makes you think you're so much better than me?"

Miette looked delighted to share.

"Why, I'm glad you asked! You see, while you've been off fighting Team Flare and saving the world, I've been practicing. I've learned how to blend the most delicate ingredients _just so._ My chocolates will melt in your mouth. My pastries are like slices of heaven. They're so good that when Siebold tried one, he offered me a position as his resident chocolatier and understudy."

Miette leaned in until her face was only inches from Serena's. She spoke in a dangerous, low voice.

"I'm learning from a _master_. My creations belong in a world-class restaurant. Your adorable little macarons belong at a bake sale."

Serena refused to move. She didn't even blink.

"I won't let you win. I won't let you take him from me."

Miette snorted.

"This competition is mine to win," she said.

"Not if I have anything to say about it."

Miette leaned in even closer, and she whispered into Serena's ear. It made Serena's skin crawl.

"This is the day I begin my ascent to the top of the culinary world. I am going to take you down, and take Ash with me as my prize. There is nothing you can do to stop it."

Miette pulled away. She stood proud, smirking. Serena stood there with her jaw clenched, refusing to show any sign of weakness.

"Now, let's get you back to the kitchen with the others so we can get this started."

Begrudgingly, Serena followed Miette. She did so without another word. She was much too busy trying to set Miette on fire with her mind.

A few moments later, Miette led her through the swinging kitchen doors. Serena stopped in her tracks. She found herself face to face with several other women, a camera crew, and Siebold himself.

The cameraman faced Serena. She could feel the camera zooming in on her face.

"Ah, excellent, I see your friend made it," Siebold said to Miette. He focused his attention on Serena. "Welcome. Please, take a seat."

In the center of the kitchen, there was a high work table, surrounded by stools. Siebold stood at one end. At the other end were the last two empty seats.

The camera followed Serena as she and Miette made their way to the table and took their seats.

Siebold folded his arms behind his back. He paced around the table as he spoke. His words sounded rehearsed.

"Now, with everyone present, we can begin. First, I would like to welcome all of you to _Café des Artistes'_ annual baking competition. As we do every year, we have thirteen contestants - a perfect baker's dozen - selected from our community here in Monego City."

Serena glanced around the table. The other contestants could not have been more anonymous.

"In a few more moments, we will begin getting you all set up at your workstations. You should find each of those stations to be stocked with a selection of ingredients and equipment, all of which is supplied from my own kitchen, here in this café. From those ingredients and supplies, you will have two hours to prepare a dessert of your choosing. What you choose to create is entirely up to you, so long as the ingredients for it are provided in your station. And yes, as you may be wondering, each contestant's station contains the same ingredients and equipment."

Next to Serena, Miette was the picture of calm confidence. Her smile betrayed nothing.

"In addition, each contestant will be permitted the use of one Pokémon as an assistant. You may use any power or ability of that Pokémon so long as it does not interfere with the other contestants in any way."

Serena reached for her bag. A rush of confidence filled her. She would not have to face this alone. She would have Braixen.

"The competition will commence at five o'clock, sharp. You will have until seven o'clock to present your creation to the panel of judges. Judging will begin at that time, and the results will be announced no later than eight o'clock. Your work will be judged not only on flavor, but also on presentation and creativity."

Out of the corner of her eye, Serena saw Miette smirk.

"Are there any questions?"

There were none.

"Very well. I shall show you to your stations now."

Siebold led the group back out to the dining room, the camera following them. While he had been giving his explanation, the workstations all acquired name tags.

Serena rolled her eyes when she saw that her workstation was right next to Miette's.

The seating area was beginning to fill. Serena scanned the crowd for any sign of Ash. She couldn't find him.

Eager to begin, and to do anything to distract herself from Miette, she called out Braixen. Upon emerging from her Poké Ball, Braixen looked around the makeshift stage where they stood.

"This is it, the baking contest," Serena said. "Miette thinks it's hers to win, but we're not going down without a fight."

Braixen steeled herself and nodded in understanding. She glared in the direction of Miette, who was setting up her workstation with Slurpuff.

Serena knelt down beside Braixen and whispered in her ear.

"I don't know anything about the other competitors, so I'm not sure what we're up against. We've got to beat Miette, though. Since this is being shown on TV, she's trying to use the competition as a way to impress Ash and… get famous, or something."

Slurpuff looked in their direction. Upon meeting eyes with Braixen, it stuck its tongue out even further than normal. Braixen growled.

"Let's not worry about them right now. Why don't we see what we have to work with here? We can do some setup before the competition begins."

Braixen relented, and she assisted Serena in removing a variety of items from the cabinets under the workstation. Bowls, spoons, spatulas, baking tins, a variety of flours, sugars, and spices - they covered their workspace with them.

Serena stepped back and took a look from a distance. She held a finger to her lips, tapping her foot. There was no question she could make her macaron recipe with what she had at her disposal, but a stubborn thought lingered in her mind. There were so many possibilities.

If creativity was one of the judging criteria, would her macarons be enough to win? Aside from their colors, they were as ordinary as could be. Ash may have loved them, but Serena was not confident enough to say they were of professional quality.

She was an amateur.

She didn't have it.

One station away, Miette stood with her arms confidently folded, a small selection of ingredients and equipment neatly arranged on her countertop.

Serena stared at her for a moment too long. Miette gave Serena a sideways glance, and the corner of her mouth turned up into a smirk.

Serena averted her eyes. She tried to focus on the assortment of supplies before her, but her eyes slid out of focus. She tapped her foot faster, her mind churning with ideas.

It was time to make a change. Again, she knelt next to Braixen. She whispered to her.

"I think we should make our macarons like we usually do, but with a twist. I'm not sure the normal ones will stand out enough to win. I say we should try to come up with some more creative flavors like we did yesterday. What do you think?"

Braixen tilted her head. She looked hesitant.

"I'm nervous, too. I think it's worth a shot, though. Nothing we tried yesterday worked very well, but maybe we can create something great today!"

Serena reached into the cabinet and began rummaging deeper through their supplies.

"There must be some ingredients here we never use. Maybe we can find some inspiration."

There was an assortment of fruits and berries in a basket inside the cabinet. Serena pulled it out and sat it on the floor. She and Braixen began searching through it.

A frown formed on Serena's face, first from concentration, but then from disappointment. She sifted through the fruit basket, sorting the fruits by how promising they seemed.

They all went into the reject pile.

"We tried most of these yesterday, and none of them were good."

She dug deeper into the basket. Her hand hit something hard. She wrapped her hand around it, discovering it to be large, heavy, and rough. She pulled it out for Braixen to see.

It was a coconut.

Serena raised an eyebrow.

"This could be interesting! It might be hard to get open, though."

Serena passed the coconut to Braixen. Braixen examined it all over, then pulled out her wand and tapped it. She looked surprised.

"Hard, isn't it? If you're going to use magic to open it, wait until we're told we can start. I don't want to get disqualified."

Braixen hid the coconut behind her back and looked around sheepishly.

"What can we pair with it, though? Hmm…"

Serena looked closer at her pile of rejected fruits. There had to be something she could use.

"A-ha!"

There were two limes mixed in with the rest of the fruit. She hadn't even registered their presence at first, but then a vague memory came to her of hearing something about a lime and a coconut making you feel better.

"Lime pairs with coconut!" she said, holding up the limes.

Braixen did not look convinced.

"I know it sounds crazy, but I think it's our best shot. What do you say?"

Braixen gave Serena a flat look. She held the coconut high, then let go of it. It dropped to the wooden floor with a loud _thud_.

"I know, I know. We'll worry about that later. Let's get all our bowls and pans set up now, before we get started, okay?"

When Serena stood up again, she saw the seating area much more filled than before. At a table in front of the seats, there sat Siebold and two other important-looking people who Serena was certain were chefs. There was no doubt they were the judges.

And far in the back of the seating area, tucked away in a corner, was Ash. His arms were folded and his head lolled back and forth, half asleep. He looked just as awful as he had that morning.

But he was there. No matter what. Just like he promised.

As she watched Ash, she saw him jarred awake by the sound of a microphone. Siebold stood, and he addressed the audience. All the cameras focused on him.

He welcomed everyone and gave them the same speech about the rules which he had given in the kitchen. Paying little attention, Serena waited out Siebold's remarks with her eyes on Ash, hoping he would notice her.

To her horror, she saw Miette waving at him.

Serena glared daggers at Miette. Indignant, she began to wave at him, too.

But before Ash could notice, the cameras were turned in her direction, and bright stage lights came to life, temporarily blinding her. Ash disappeared from her vision.

The competition was on.

Right away, she turned on her oven and began preheating it.

"Let's get started on the batter."

Braixen nodded and hopped up on the counter. There was a lot of work to do.

As Serena began to settle into the familiar comfort of mixing ingredients together, she noticed more of her surroundings. Aside from Miette, none of the other competitors looked like they come from culinary backgrounds. They looked like anyone you would pass on the street, and certainly not professional chefs. The choice of Pokémon some of them had made seemed to confirm it.

One woman had a Furfrou which appeared much more interested in eating all of the ingredients than providing any help. Elsewhere, there was a Litleo asleep on the floor and a Floette who appeared to have no purpose other than to be her trainer's mascot.

But as she looked closer, there was some real creativity at work. Other competitors had clever uses for their Pokémon. There was a Klefki holding a variety of spoons, whisks, and measuring cups on its ring. A Diggersby kneaded dough with its ears. An Inkay rotated over and over again in the air, gently mixing a blend of spices in a jar. Miette's Slurpuff levitated multiple ingredients in the air for her ease of access. Braixen stood watch over the saucepan, stirring a simmering, sugary mixture.

Serena stopped for breath as she finished stirring the batter. A cameraman approached her station and zoomed in on her. She wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead. There was no time to waste.

It was time to figure out the flavoring. She turned her attention to the limes. Working quickly, she found a grater and shaved some lime peel into a bowl. It would be a delightful garnish later.

It occurred to her that she should sample a taste of the limes themselves, so she could better understand their flavor and how to blend it with the coconut. She cut a small wedge from one of them and held it up to her nose. It smelled like citrus, nothing out of the ordinary.

But then she bit into it.

She never would bite into a lime again. It was horribly bitter. It tasted nothing at all like lime-flavored candy. It was a much worse assault on the senses than biting into a lemon. Her tongue burned and her eyes watered. She coughed as ran to the sink and washed out her mouth.

She marveled at the amount of sugar it must take to mask the true nature of a lime's flavor. There was no way she could put enough in the filling without ruining its consistency. There had to be some other way.

Both hands on her head, she thought back to her days in school, trying to remember. There was a way to neutralize the flavor.

Sour and bitter. They were opposites.

Serena reached into the cabinet again and found a lemon with the other fruits. It was perfect. The sourness of the lemon's juice would help cut back the bitterness of the lime juice. Perhaps this was why so many things paired lemon with lime? Confident, she juiced the fruits into a mixing bowl. There was only one thing in her way now.

The coconut seemed to leer at her from the corner of the counter. There was no hammer, or drill, or any other tool which could obviously be used to open it.

She took over stirring the pot for Braixen.

"We have to get that coconut open. Do whatever it takes!"

Braixen picked up the coconut and bared her claws. They glinted in the light. She swiped.

Her Scratch attack only managed to get her claws stuck in the shell.

Braixen flailed her arm, trying to get the coconut off. In doing so, she toppled from the counter onto the floor.

Serena dropped her spoon and abandoned the pot, rushing over to Braixen.

"Are you hurt? Can you get that thing off?"

Braixen was on her feet again, trying to pry the coconut free.

"Here, I'll hold it! You pull."

Serena grabbed the coconut and gripped it tight. Braixen grimaced and pulled. Her first effort did nothing. On her second try, her claws came free and she stumbled backward, tripping over herself.

"Okay, whew…"

At the next station over, Miette snorted back a laugh.

Braixen did not look nearly as relieved as Serena. Holding the coconut in the light, Serena examined it in her hands.

"We've got to work smarter. Maybe another one of your moves can open it?"

Braixen pulled her wand out of her tail and lit it.

"No, not a fire-type move! If you use Flamethrower, I'm sure it's just going to set it on fire!"

The flame went out on Braixen's wand, but she did not put it away.

"Hidden Power?"

Braixen nodded.

"But that's going to send it flying across the room! We can't do that!"

Braixen outstretched her arms and mimed holding the coconut at arms-length.

"Are you sure about this?"

Braixen was. She began forming an orb of energy on the tip of her wand.

"Okay, just… please be careful."

Serena squinted. She held the coconut firm in her outstretched arms, but she couldn't bear to watch. If this didn't work, she would have far bigger problems on her hands than losing the competition to Miette.

Braixen fired. A blue sphere of energy shot from the tip of her wand and collided with the center of the coconut. Serena yelped, and there was a sharp crack which pierced the room.

Serena opened her eyes and saw the water from the coconut leaking onto the floor.

"Oh no!"

She scurried over to the mixing bowl and let the rest of the liquid empty into it. There wasn't nearly as much left in the coconut as she had hoped. There was no way it would be enough to bring out the coconut flavor.

Serena wiped her brow again. There was no time to worry.

The two halves of the coconut separated in her hands, and she began to work at a feverish pace to scrape out as many shavings of the meat as she could.

It was always ironic that among her group of friends she was the better baker and Clemont was the better cook. Despite all the people in the world who would claim they were pastry _artists_ or whatnot, Serena knew that baking was a science, not an art. At the moment, she regretted forgetting it. She was trying to turn a science into an art. She had no idea what these macarons were going to taste like when they were finished.

Her hands cramped from shaving the coconut. She looked at the time. There was only an hour left. Just enough time to get everything assembled, into the oven, and out of it in time to submit it.

Working feverishly, Serena blended the mixture for the filling. The smell was not promising. It was not sweet.

A pang of dread went through Serena's heart. She knew this was a foolish idea. It was all foolish. It was always foolish, but it was far too late to turn back now.

Assembling the macarons, she placed them on a baking sheet, sprinkled them with sugar and lime zest, and placed them in the oven. For the first time in more than an hour, she had the chance to look around again.

To her horror, Miette was already walking up to the judges. She was finished.

Serena looked at the mess all around her. She had to clean it up, and she had to find some kind of appealing way to present the macarons to the judges.

She reached into the cabinet again and pulled out the fruit basket. She dumped the contents of it into an empty mixing bowl, then shoved the bowl back into the cabinet. She dug around more and found a few cute, checkered tea towels. She folded and bundled them inside the basket, creating a nest.

When the macarons were cooked, she placed them inside the nest like eggs.

Just as she was about to sprinkle a little more sugar and lime garnish on top of them, time was called.

She joined the queue of the remaining few contestants who had not yet submitted their entry. As they all filed toward, the judges' table, Serena saw some spectacular failures all around her. There was a crème brûlée which was still completely liquid, and a pudding which was still in a mixing bowl.

The entries already at the judges' table looked more promising, but unremarkable. They were all simple, passable desserts made by everyday people - except Miette's. Miette had integrated art into science.

Miette had made an éclair in the shape of a Gyarados. It looked too good to exist. _Real_ food never looked so picture perfect. It belonged on the cover of a magazine, not right in front of her in real life. And yet, the éclair sat there, silently taunting Serena.

She set her basket down on the table and hoped that she didn't lose based on presentation alone.

Back at her workstation, she fidgeted with her fingers nonstop. She had at least attempted to dress up her creation in some way, unlike everyone except Miette. She still had no idea if it was any good.

One by one, she watched as the judges made their way through sampling the thirteen entries. Hers was the very last in line.

The judges had no discernible reaction to most of the desserts - not even to Miette's. They just scribbled down notes at an astonishing pace. It was not until they were forced to sample some of the abject failures that they betrayed anything in their faces, showing obvious displeasure at the uncooked pudding.

At last, her turn came. Serena couldn't breathe as she watched Siebold sample a piece. For a moment, there was no reaction.

And then, Siebold's face puckered into the most intense expression of sourness she had ever seen.

Serena's heart sank. The other judges bore similar expressions. Only a minute later, Siebold took to the microphone again.

"May I have your attention please, ladies and gentlemen. It is my honor to announce that the winner of this year's _Café des Artistes_ baking competition is Miette, and her stunning éclair!"

Serena's mind went blank. Next to her, Braixen bowed her head. At the front of the stage area, Miette and Slurpuff bounded up to a camera and an interviewer.

Whatever words Miette said into the microphone, Serena didn't hear them. The only thing she could see, hear, or feel was Ash's face, barely visible in the rear of the room, looking haggard and worn. Disappointed.

He was disappointed in her.

There was a round of applause, followed by some kind of closing remarks by Siebold and the other judges. Serena heard none of it. All she could hear was the voice in her head.

 _You don't have it._

She snapped back to reality when she realized she saw Miette wading through the crowd, carrying what was left of her éclair on a tray.

She was heading for Ash.

Serena broke into a run. She grabbed her basket from the judges' table and charged into the mass of people heading for the exit, moving against the flow. Ducking and weaving, she broke through to the other side, only to see Miette leering over Ash in his seat as he raised the pastry to his mouth.

He took a bite. A second later, his eyes rolled back in his head as he made a soft moan of pleasure.

"Simply stunning, isn't it?" said Miette.

Ash grinned at her as he chewed.

"It's so good," he said through a full mouth.

"Ash, try mine!" Serena said as she came scurrying up to him.

Ash abruptly swallowed and looked at the basket, then to Serena.

"What happened? I thought you made your macarons!"

Serena bit her lip.

"I… tried another new flavor."

Miette said nothing, but she folded her arms. Serena was certain she heard her make a smug, but barely audible _hmph._

Ash took a macaron from the basket. As soon he placed it in his mouth, his face puckered in the same way Siebold's had.

"It's so sour!" he said, choking it down.

Serena's shoulders slumped.

"But… I don't understand! I didn't put that much lemon juice in it! I was trying to make the limes taste less bitter!"

Miette snorted.

"Limes aren't _bitter_. They're so sour that people confuse them for being bitter! Even _amateurs_ know that."

Serena turned a deep shade of red. She was a fool, and she knew it.

She should have listened to Ash.

Silent, she called out to Ash with her eyes. She was desperate for anything, any support at all.

She found nothing. Ash looked as lost as she was.

"I... can't believe you didn't make your normal macarons," he said.

Serena shut her eyes. She swallowed, hard.

Ash turned to look at Miette.

"Don't get me wrong, that was really good, Miette, but-"

He ran a hand through his hair, staring up at Serena as he shook his head.

"Serena's macarons are the best. She would have won, for sure."

Serena bowed her head. She couldn't look anyone in the eye, let alone Ash. She folded her hands tightly over her chest.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Sorry?" said Ash.

"I'm so sorry."

Serena backed up, first just one step, and then several more. She turned to leave.

"Serena, wait!"

"Don't worry about her," said Miette.

Serena was halfway across the room already, but she froze and turned and looked back. Ash was standing, a hand tentatively reaching out toward her. Miette stood next to him, one hand on his shoulder, and the other pushing his outstretched arm back to his side.

"You don't look so well," said Miette. "Have you been training hard for your big battle with Siebold?"

Ash's eyes shifted from Serena to Miette.

"Uh, yeah, I have."

"I knew it. You should relax, though. You need to take it easy sometimes, too, you know? Say! That gives me an idea."

Serena's heart stopped. This was it. Miette was going in for the kill.

"There's a Pokémon beach volleyball doubles tournament this weekend. I'd say it would be a great way to have some fun and spend some quality time bonding with your Pokémon. It should be a great training exercise, and a way to relax! Why don't you come with me? We can team up."

Serena didn't stick around to hear Ash's answer. She couldn't stand to see Miette gloat. It was too much to bear. Before either of them could say a word, she was out the door.

* * *

When Serena awoke, she had no idea what time it was. Everything seemed wrong. Somehow, it was both light and dark at the same time.

Rubbing her eyes, she left her bed and walked over to the window. The sun was up, but it was gray and dreary, overcast. The clouds looked exhausted, like they would soon break from the stress of holding up so much rain. It was a perfect mirror of her life.

The lights were off in her room. All was quiet in the penthouse. Braixen, Pancham, and Sylveon all napped on the far side of her bed. The reading on the bedside clock bewildered her. Somehow, it was earlier than when she arrived.

It was then that she realized it was the next day. After tossing and turning until she eventually fell asleep, whenever that may have been, she had slept through the night and the entire morning. It was already afternoon, yet it was so dark it was as if the sun was refusing to rise, content to spend the day merely peeking over the horizon.

She was still in her regular clothes, never having changed out of her dress, nor even her shoes. She felt sticky from the accumulation of dried sweat, still dirty from yesterday. The scents of baked goods lingered in her hair. Unable to stand the sensation now that she was awake, she went into the bathroom and started the shower.

The warm water, and the assortment of exotic soaps left out for guests, cut through the grime and washed it all away. She wondered if any of the soaps could wash away failure, too.

She changed into her pajamas and tied back her hair. She wasn't going anywhere. No one could make her do it. And, as she discovered when she left her room, no one was there.

The penthouse was abandoned. Ash, Clemont, and Bonnie were all missing, presumably out enjoying their day without her. It was better that way, the thought. She wasn't ready to deal with human interaction yet, least of all with Ash.

Her stomach growled, and she wandered into the kitchen. There was nothing in the refrigerator or cabinets, but the giant bag of baked goods Clemont and Bonnie picked up from the bakery earlier in the week was still half-full. Serena reached in a dug out a croissant.

It was stale. She forced herself to finish it anyway.

For the first time since they arrived at the hotel, she wandered through the penthouse. It was ridiculous that they were staying here. They didn't belong in a place like this. There were paintings on the walls which Serena was certain were worth more than her home. There were several golden statuettes and trophies inside the safety of a glass case, undoubtedly awards Diantha had won in her acting career.

Again, one particular decoration drew her attention more than any other. It was the photo of Diantha with Palermo. From atop one of the end tables, she could feel Palermo's eyes following her.

She looked Palermo's image in the eye. Though she was certain the picture was taken before she was ever born, Palermo's gaze had traveled through time for the specific purpose of piercing her soul, right here, right now. Palermo wasn't looking at the photographer in that photo. She was looking at _her_ , in this specific place and time, far in the future.

"What did you mean?"

Palermo didn't answer. It wasn't enough that her voice intruded on Serena's thoughts. Now, her torment of choice was to intrude on Serena with her eyes.

"What did you mean?!"

Serena turned away from Palermo. She shook with every breath. Palermo's eyes were following her. They were drilling through the back of her skull. Her gaze saw everything. She couldn't escape it.

"Stop it!"

Serena spun around again. Palermo was still there, frozen in time, her eyes and her infuriating smile taunting her. Diantha was unaware by her side, smiling for the camera as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

Clenching her fists, Serena towered over the photo.

"What don't I have?! Why am I not good enough?! Answer me!"

She wanted to put her fist through the glass protecting the photo. She wanted to wipe that wretched, insincere smile off Palermo's face. She grabbed the picture frame with both hands and shook it, demanding an answer.

"Tell me already! You're ruining my life!"

She couldn't bear to look at the awful thing anymore. It disgusted her. She pulled open the drawer on the end table and threw the picture into it. Slamming the drawer shut, she screamed.

 _"I hate you!"_


	5. Caught in the Camera Eye

Chapter Five - Caught in the Camera Eye

Back in her room, Serena sat on her bed, with her knees drawn to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs. Braixen, Pancham, and Sylveon, all woken up by her tantrum, cuddled around her. She tried not to think.

Rain began to patter on the windows, the clouds unable to hold off the storm any longer. In a way, it comforted her to see it rain, the world finally acknowledging that something was wrong.

Her listless daydream was interrupted by the sounds of several people entering the penthouse.

 _"Wow! This place is swanky! Check it out!"_

Korrina's voice carried through the halls. Clemont's much quieter voice followed behind her.

 _"The décor certainly appears fit for a champion, wouldn't you say?"_

 _"Yeah, no kidding!"_

Serena rose from her bed and took a tentative step out of her room, half-hiding behind the door. She saw the shadows of several figures looming in the living room.

She exited her room and followed the voices. When she entered the living room, she found a wild mess. Ash, Clemont, and Bonnie had returned, and Korrina was with them. They were all drenched from the rain. On the coffee table was a pizza box, looking deformed and waterlogged.

Korrina was almost unrecognizable at first glance. Her hair was down, and she was dressed in sweatpants.

"Hey there, sleepyhead!" she said to Serena.

"Korrina! I'm surprised to see you here. What's going on?"

"I'm making good on my promise to hang out and watch movies, that's what! I even brought a pizza."

"We got all wet on our way back!" said Bonnie. As she spoke, she held out her arms, and droplets of water trickled off her onto the carpet.

"Yeah, it's nasty out there," said Ash.

Water dripping from strands of his hair, he removed his jacket and walked over to the sink in the kitchen. Holding his jacket above the basin, he twisted it tightly and wrung the water from it. Pikachu shook himself over and over again, droplets of water flying everywhere.

The mess was horrible.

"Let me get you some towels, guys!"

Serena ran back to her bathroom and returned with a large stack of towels, as many as she could carry at once. Everyone wrapped themselves in them.

Bonnie's trailed behind her like a cape. When she noticed it, she stuck two fingers in the front of her mouth like fangs.

"Oooooh! I'm a vampire!" Bonnie said in a ghostly tone of voice.

At the mention of vampires, the hair on the back of Serena's neck stood on end.

"Um… don't vampires melt in rain?" she asked.

"Nah, that's sunlight," said Ash.

"No worries about melting today, then!" said Korrina.

Bonnie stalked around the living room.

"Grrrr…"

One towel already over her shoulders, Korrina pulled her hair up into a big, messy ball and wrapped another towel around her head. She plopped down onto the sofa and opened the pizza box.

"It sure is a bummer that it's raining while we're all here on vacation," she said. "At least the pizza looks okay."

Korrina closed the box. She pouted, looking out the window.

"How long is it going to be like this?" Serena asked.

"At least the remainder of the day," said Clemont. "A strong cold front is moving over the area, coming from the ocean in the east. It's unusual for this time of year. The rain should persist overnight into tomorrow."

"It better stop before the midsummer bonfire," said Korrina.

"Isn't that more than a week away?" said Clemont. "It is difficult to forecast that far in advance, but it is highly unlikely that this storm would persist that long, to say the least."

"I hope you're right," said Korrina. "Good thing we have our very own weatherman, huh?"

Korrina winked at Clemont.

"Yeah, Clemont's always on top of this stuff!" said Ash. "When I was traveling in other regions, we almost never knew if a storm was coming. Science is so amazing…"

Clemont waved off the praise.

"I wouldn't say meteorology is my strongest field," he said. "I find forecasting frustrating, actually. There's far too much uncertainty for my liking."

"Well, you were right that it was going to rain today," said Korrina. She smiled at Clemont, then turned her attention to Serena. "I guess you don't know about any of this since you were asleep all morning, but Clemont knew it was going to rain and made plans for all of us to hang out here."

"Yeah, we didn't want to wake you up," Ash said. He scratched his neck. He looked uncomfortable.

"I heard you took a tough loss yesterday," said Korrina.

Serena nearly flinched. The baking competition was the last thing she wanted to discuss.

"You could say that," she said.

"It's all cool," said Korrina. "Chin up, and hang in there! I know you can shake it off. We're going to have a great time today, no matter what."

Against her will, the corner of Serena's mouth turned upward into a smile. Korrina sounded so much like Ash.

Today was going to be a better day. She was still here. So was Ash. It wasn't over. It wasn't the end.

"So check this out," Korrina said. She reached for a backpack and opened it, dumping the contents of it onto the floor in front of the TV. Dozens of movie cases fell out.

"Are those all yours?" said Serena.

"Not really," said Korrina. "My grandpa owns an old villa in the city. It's been in the family for a long time, and it's where I'm staying. All these movies come from his collection there."

Bonnie sifted through the pile, looking at all the covers.

"A lot of these look really old," she said.

"Some are, some aren't," said Korrina. "There are some new ones in there - mostly things he picked up for me since we come here together a couple times a year."

Korrina looked at Serena again.

"I'm here by myself this time, though," she continued. "Grandpa's watching the gym while I'm gone. Since he isn't here, I figured I'd just bring everything and see what we have."

"Ooh! A vampire movie!"

Bonnie held up the case for a movie which was so old it was in black and white. The cover depicted the silhouette of what was clearly a vampire creeping up a staircase.

Serena shivered at the sight of it. She was already backing away.

"I think I'm going to sit that one out. You guys enjoy!"

"Not a fan of horror movies?" said Korrina.

"No! Not at all!"

Ash laughed.

"Serena's not a fan of anything scary," he said. "She doesn't even like ghost-type Pokémon."

"Really?" said Korrina. "Most of them are harmless."

 _"Most_ of them?" said Serena.

"A lot of them just want to play!" said Ash.

"Then maybe they should stop scaring me by appearing through walls!"

Korrina held up the vampire movie case. It made Serena squirm.

"Grandpa always says this one is a classic. Are you sure you don't want to see it?"

Serena nodded vigorously.

"I'm very sure! You guys have fun, but I'm out!"

She moved to run away, but Korrina spoke before she could leave.

"Don't worry! We'll save it for later, maybe tonight when it's dark. It will be better then."

Serena found no comfort in this whatsoever.

She looked at Ash and saw excitement in his eyes. Normally, it was reassuring, but at the moment, it was the opposite. It made the distance between them feel even greater.

"As long as I don't have to watch, you can do whatever you want," said Serena.

"If you say so," said Korrina, shrugging. "Let's see what else we have here."

Korrina dug through the pile.

"We've got tons of choices. You guys want to take a look, too?"

Everyone gathered by the pile of movies and went through its contents. Many of their choices didn't look interesting, but some were more promising than others.

Serena was interested in one about an enigmatic-looking young woman who spent her time in cafés, performing random good deeds for people before falling in love with a mysterious man. Ash was adamant that they had to watch an old action-adventure movie, a handsome Pokémon Ranger with a ten-gallon hat and a lasso on the cover. Korrina insisted upon a movie which had a Mienshao in a yellow tracksuit on the cover, wielding a katana. Clemont expressed interest in a documentary about Empoleon migration.

Bonnie horrified everybody by picking out a gritty-looking movie with a cover that depicted three sharp-dressed mafiosos, and what appeared to be a dead body in the street.

"Bonnie!" Clemont said, snatching it from her hands.

"Grandpa says that one is really good, actually," said Korrina.

Clemont made it clear that regardless of the film's quality, he wasn't going to allow Bonnie to watch it.

Several minutes of debate later, they settled on Ash's choice first - in part because he proposed a fantastic idea. In short order, the room was transformed. Cushions and pillows were removed from every possible piece of furniture. Blankets and sheets were brought from the bedrooms and repurposed. The penthouse's living room was reimagined as the world's most luxurious pillow fort.

Everyone's Pokémon were let out of their balls. They scattered throughout the massive suite, some sticking around to watch the movie, and others going off on their own to nap or socialize. Chespin raided the kitchen and was distraught to find it completely empty of food. Hawlucha got into a posing contest with Korrina's Machoke. Greninja and Lucario stood together by a window looking stoic, having a quiet, serious-sounding conversation. Braixen watched the two of them from afar with great interest.

Korrina's Mienfoo was having an animated discussion with Bunnelby which seemed to regard who could jump the highest, a dispute which Pikachu put to a stop when Bunnelby hit the ceiling. Pancham pretended he was too cool to watch the movie, sitting with his back to the screen but stealing obvious glances at it every few seconds.

Under the fort, Sylveon cuddled up with Serena. The longer the day went on, the more active her feelers became, their soothing touch sensing in Serena that something was wrong.

Indeed, something was wrong. It was a rainy day, and Ash was under a pillow fort with her, laying right next to her, so close she could feel the warmth of his body - but she couldn't cuddle up with him.

* * *

The afternoon passed as they made it all the way through Ash's movie, and then Korrina's. By then, Serena was quite tired of the nonstop action, and she succeeded in convincing the group to watch her movie of choice next.

Her heart thundered. It was a romance movie, and Ash was right there. She wanted to grab his hand, smooth his hair, _anything_.

But after about fifteen minutes passed without a fight or an explosion, Ash yawned and said he thought he might take a nap.

Serena tried to convince him to stay, but he said it just wasn't his thing. He left the fort and went back to his room.

No more than five minutes passed before Serena decided she couldn't stand it. Working her way out of Sylveon's grasp, she also left the pillow fort.

"Where are you going?" said Bonnie. "Don't you want to watch?"

"I have to talk to Ash."

"He said he was going to take a nap, though," said Clemont. "I'm not sure he'll want to talk if he's asleep."

"I'll wake him up, then."

Clemont opened his mouth to speak again, but Korrina interrupted.

"Do you want me to pause it?" she asked.

"No."

Serena briskly walked away, turning down the hall. She stood outside Ash's room. The door was closed. She wasn't certain if it was locked, and she didn't want to knock. She wanted to barge in _right now_ and let him have a piece of her mind.

It was only yesterday that she gave Ash her note. Had he not read it? Had he forgotten about it already?

She refused to believe there was anyone so oblivious. Not even Ash. Not after all this time.

And so, Serena turned the door handle. It was unlocked.

Inside, Ash sat alone on his bed, legs crossed and head bowed in the darkness. He looked up, startled.

"Serena!"

"Ash."

She shut the door behind her, resisting the temptation to slam it, instead shutting it as delicately as possible. She walked to the bed and stood in front of him, hands on her hips.

"What are you doing here?" said Ash.

"What am I doing here? What are _you_ doing here?"

"I came here to relax on my own."

"Was an afternoon in a pillow fort not relaxing enough for you?"

"No, it was great! It was my idea, remember?"

"So great that you leave almost as soon as my movie starts, huh?"

"It just wasn't my kind of movie."

"I wanted to watch it with you!"

"I'm sorry! I didn't know it was so important to you!"

"Yes, you did!"

"No, I didn't. I never heard of that movie before."

"Did you read my note or not?"

"I read it! You never mentioned the movie."

Serena rolled her eyes.

"You're right. I didn't! I had no idea we would get a chance to do something like this. But I did say, _very clearly,_ that I wanted to spend more time together with you!"

Serena hated herself. She hated that she was doing this. She was talking to Ash the way she would bicker with her mom. She was turning Ash's words against him. She didn't deserve him. He deserved better than her.

Ash looked frozen for a second, like Serena had managed to catch him off-guard. He spoke in a low, calm voice.

"I… remember that."

"Why did you get up and leave, then?"

"I needed some time to myself."

Something about Ash's calmness made Serena angrier, as if she needed to become angry on his behalf to fill the empty space.

"Have you not had enough of that recently?"

"No."

"We get two extra weeks together before we maybe never see each other again, and you want to spend that time by yourself?!"

"Serena-"

"We get a once-in-a-lifetime chance to come here, and rather than try to make some memories together, the first thing you do when you arrive is challenge the strongest trainer here! _For what?_ "

"Please-"

"And all the while, you have no problem saying yes to spending quality time with _Miette_ , of all people!"

Ash bit the inside of his cheek. Serena's voice reached a fevered pitch.

"Did you agree to go to that stupid volleyball tournament with her?"

"I-"

"Did you?!"

"Please stop yelling."

Serena breathed through gritted teeth. She could feel her pulse pounding in her neck. Ash looked up at her. If she didn't already hate herself, Ash's pleading face cemented it.

"Why are you so mad?" said Ash.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"Ash! There's no way. There's absolutely _no way_ you don't understand what's going on. Don't lie to me!"

Ash opened his mouth to say something, but when he drew breath, his words turned into nothing but a heavy sigh. He looked down.

Serena broke their silence. Her voice was a low, shaky whisper.

"Did you say yes to her?"

Ash said nothing. His eyes said everything.

Serena's voice came roaring back.

 _"Why?!"_

"I… didn't mean to hurt you."

Serena threw her hands in the air.

"Can you not see how much what you're doing is hurting me?!"

"I didn't mean to. I'm sorry. I really am."

Serena could feel her pulse in her teeth. She grasped at her forehead as if trying to reach for words.

"I can't do this anymore," she said. "I can't. I just can't."

Ash shook his head over and over.

"I'm an idiot."

Serena narrowed one eye at him.

"Yes, you are!"

"I wish I wasn't."

"It would be nice if you would do something to change that! I've done _everything_ I could and it still hasn't worked!"

"It's my fault. You didn't need to do anything."

"I'm beginning to see that!"

"I'm sorry."

"If you're sorry, _do_ something about it!"

"I'm trying."

Serena took a deep breath, then let it out in a long sigh.

"I need you to do more than try. I can't keep doing this. I mean it. I have so much to say and no more time to say it. I've kept so much back. I can't do it anymore."

"I understand."

"Do you?"

"I have a lot on my mind, too."

"What do _you_ have on your mind?"

Serena said it like an insult, like it was impossible that Ash was capable of introspection. She felt sick as the words left her mouth.

"I could have won the Kalos League."

"I know. We all know. You barely lost. We saw it. We were there."

Ash shook his head.

"That's not what I mean."

"Then what _do_ you mean?"

"When I called that final attack, I knew what I needed to do to win, but I didn't do it."

Serena didn't understand. What Ash was describing was a simple mistake, the kind that he would shrug off every day. The kind he taught her to learn from rather than dwell upon.

"It was just a mistake, Ash."

"It was more than that. I knew that if I had Greninja use Water Shuriken, I would win. I chose not to. I called Cut instead."

"You made a mistake. Why are you worrying about it now? You took it so well when you lost! You were in such good spirits about it that I didn't even know what to say to you!"

"I didn't make a mistake. I did it on purpose."

"On purpose?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I don't know why."

"How can you do something on purpose and not know why?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out."

Serena held up both of her hands like she was begging, grasping at air, desperate for things to make sense.

"What is there to figure out? Why are you doing this to yourself? If you just told everyone you made a mistake, no one would judge you for it! _I_ won't!"

"But that's not the truth."

"Then what is the truth?"

"It's complicated. I'm trying my best to figure it all out."

"Does this have anything to do with why you challenged Siebold?"

"Everything."

"Everything?"

"I should be battling him anyway. I should have won the league. I know my team and I are strong enough to face him. I have to prove it."

"You don't have to prove it to anyone. Least of all, me!"

"I have to prove it to _me._ "

"And this why you're beating yourself up? Running yourself ragged and staying up all night?"

"Yeah."

"Can you see how worried I am about you?"

Ash swallowed. He looked away.

"Yes."

"Then stop. You can let it go! It doesn't matter if you won the league or not, or if you beat Siebold or not! You still mean the world to me! I feel like I've completely lost you since we got here! Where is _my_ Ash?"

"I'm right here!"

"Then _be_ here with me! I've never seen you before with your head so lost in the clouds! You're never like this! Why now?"

"I don't know! I don't know what to do."

There was something disarming about hearing Ash say he didn't know what to do. He always _knew_ , even if he just made something up as he went. It made Serena pause.

If he couldn't understand, maybe she could.

"What were you doing in here before I came in?

"Training."

"On the bed?"

"Yeah."

"How were you training?"

Ash hesitated to respond.

"I'm training my mind."

Serena resisted the urge to narrow her eyes in disbelief. What Ash was saying sounded ridiculous, but it was clear to Serena how serious he was.

A new thought occurred to her. It was time to try something different.

"Can I train with you?"

Ash looked surprised.

"Sure!"

Serena climbed onto the bed and sat next to him. Mimicking his pose, she folded her legs and bowed her head.

"Did you have your eyes closed?"

"Before you came in, yeah."

"Then let's close our eyes together."

Ash looked beyond confused, but Serena saw something unexpected in his face, something that ran deeper than confusion.

It was trust.

"Okay."

Ash closed his eyes, and so did Serena.

Serena's heart raced. She spoke in no more than a whisper.

"Do you ever see yourself somewhere when you close your eyes like this?"

"Yes."

"Where?"

"On the shore."

"Here?"

"No. On Dewford Island, in Hoenn."

"Why there?"

"Brawly, the gym leader there, beat me as bad as anyone ever has the first time I faced him. I trained for weeks on that beach. I had so much to learn."

"What did you learn?"

"We have to train our minds as well as our bodies. If you're not focused, it doesn't matter how strong you are."

"How did you train your mind?"

"My team and I sat in the surf and listened for the waves with our eyes closed. Sometimes we would try to outrun the waves. Sometimes we would push through them. Sometimes we would just sit there and let them wash over us, refusing to move."

"Was it hard?"

"It was the hardest training I've ever done."

"Is that what you've been doing out on the beach at night here?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I don't train my mind enough," said Ash. "There's so much I don't understand."

Serena was certain that one of the things Ash didn't understand was how true his statement was.

"There's so much I don't understand, too," said Serena.

"You understand so much more than me."

"That's not true."

"Yes it is."

"What do I understand that you don't?"

"How to always keep going."

"You're the one who always keeps going," said Serena, raising her voice above a whisper. "You're the one who taught me never to give up!"

"You don't give up. I did."

"You never give up!"

"I gave up against Alain. I knew the right move to make, and I chose not to make it. It wasn't a mistake. I broke our promise. I gave up before the end."

"You didn't break our promise."

"I gave up. I was one move away from achieving my dream."

"You didn't give up!"

"I made the decision. I know what really happened."

"It isn't over. Your dream isn't gone. I know you, and I know that you will never, ever give up. I never will, either."

Ash was silent. Serena searched for the words, then continued.

"Most of all, I will _never_ give up on you. Even if you don't believe in yourself, I always will. You can do anything, Ash."

With her eyes shut, Serena groped in the darkness to try to find Ash's hand. All she found was a fistful of sheets.

"You can do anything, too," said Ash.

"It's all because of you! Do you know that? You have given me _everything."_

Serena's heart throbbed. Ash had given her everything - except himself.

It was too much. Him, this conversation, all her unspoken feelings. It was all too much. She couldn't stay there any longer. She opened her eyes and left the bed.

"Serena!"

Ash called to her as she made for the door. When he did, she stopped and looked back at him. He didn't look like the Ash she knew. He looked lost.

He looked afraid.

"I'm sorry I didn't stay to watch your movie."

"I'm sorry I came in here and yelled at you."

"I'm not."

Serena had one hand on the doorknob. She sighed.

"Me neither."

"But you just said-"

"I know. I needed this."

"Me too."

Serena looked from him to the door, then down to the knob. She turned it. She borrowed his words.

"I need some time to myself."

"Please, don't-"

Serena stepped out and shut the door behind her, silencing Ash's words. She was grateful the privacy of her own room was only one door away.

When she slipped inside, she turned the lock and slid down to the floor with her back against the door, exhaling deeply as she went.

She couldn't understand it. How was it possible to care so much about someone and be so frustrated with them at the same time? How was it possible for two people to care so much about each other without ever sharing their true feelings? She was certain now that Ash was holding something back, but what was it? His explanation about giving up against Alain made no sense.

Minutes passed. She wasn't sure how many. She rose to her feet again. Arms folded, she walked to her window.

Even though it was raining and daylight was fading, for the first time, she admired the view. The penthouse truly provided them with a spectacular vista.

Serena traced the horizon with her eyes. It occurred to her that the blinds could open farther. Half of the view was obstructed by them in their current position.

She pulled them all the way open, exposing several more feet of window. She found that she could now see much of the waterfront.

A sight caught her eye. There was a figure underneath a red umbrella standing alone on the waterfront, next to a bench.

Serena squinted. Drops of water ran down the window, obscuring her view. After a few seconds, some of them trickled out of the way, and she looked closer.

It was a young woman with long red hair. It was Aria, standing at the very same bench where they met three nights ago.

Serena's pulse pounded as she watched. Aria wasn't moving. She was just standing there. What was she doing? Was she waiting for something? Waiting for someone?

Waiting for her?

Serena shook the idea out of her head. It was ridiculous. Aria said before that she was at the waterfront thinking, just like she was. There was no reason she couldn't be doing the same thing right now if she wanted to, even in the rain.

And yet, Serena couldn't let the thought of it go. Aria had been so sure they would meet again.

Serena wasn't certain how much time passed. As she watched, Aria would shift in place from time to time, sometimes taking a few steps here and there, but never leaving the area. It couldn't be a coincidence.

Serena dug through her bag and pulled out her raincoat and boots. There were some answers she _could_ get tonight, and she was getting to the bottom of this.

She slipped on her rain gear and silently slipped out into the storm.

* * *

Serena deliberately avoided taking the fastest path to the waterfront so she could approach from behind. She was pleased to see Aria had gone nowhere in the ten minutes it took to get there. The closer she got, the clearer it became that it was in fact Aria, once again in disguise.

Grateful for the rain masking the splashes of her footsteps, Serena nonchalantly walked up next to her.

"Is this spot taken?" said Serena.

Aria jumped at the sight of her.

"I apologize, I didn't mean to startle you," Serena said with a smirk on her face, barely able to contain a giggle.

Aria's surprise turned into a sly smile.

"I think you actually _did_ mean to startle me," she said.

Serena grinned.

"Maybe!"

"Regardless, point taken," said Aria. "When you have to spend so much time hiding yourself, it's easy to make a bad habit of sneaking up on people."

Serena leaned against the bench. She was immensely satisfied with herself.

"I suppose you're wondering what I'm doing here," she said.

Aria held a finger to her lips in thought.

"If I remember my line correctly, I think it's _yes, I am_."

"Are you?"

Aria's enigmatic smile appeared yet again.

"Yes, but you're wondering the same thing about me, aren't you?"

Serena's eyes narrowed. She crossed her arms. Her lips tightened as she looked away.

Aria raised an eyebrow.

"Well, aren't you?" she asked.

Serena sighed.

"Yes," she said, her shoulders slumping as she uncrossed her arms.

Aria giggled. Serena took a step closer.

"How do you know all this?"

"It's really not hard to figure out," said Aria. "We're both doing the same thing."

"And what are we doing?"

"Searching for answers!"

"That's what you said the last time we were here!"

"I know! It's still true."

The rain continued to fall. Serena was beginning to feel foolish. Aria wasn't going to tell her anything she didn't want to tell her. Whatever mental game was developing between the two of them, Aria was the master of it.

Serena tried a different angle of attack.

"Why here, though? It's miserable out here!"

Aria's whimsical expression hardened.

"I've been thinking a lot about the conversations we've had."

There was a pause between them. Serena looked away for a moment before she spoke.

"Me too."

"It felt right, coming back here."

Aria's face gave away more than usual. There was a visible weight in her eyes, and a hesitance in her voice when she spoke.

"There's so much I wish I could tell you," said Aria. "I don't know what to do."

Serena was reminded of Ash's words.

"I understand."

"Do you?" said Aria. "The other night, you were begging me to give you answers."

"I know what it's like to have to hold back from someone. I don't know what your reasons are, but I understand how it feels."

Aria looked away. Before she could find whatever she was searching for, Serena spoke again.

"Were you expecting me to find you out here?"

"Expecting, no. Hoping, yes."

"Why? You told me yourself that I can't just wait around, hoping to be found!"

"You're still waiting, too, aren't you?"

"Not… really?" said Serena. "I've tried changing some things, doing things differently. Nothing has worked, though."

"I take it you haven't figured out what Palermo meant yet, have you? Aria asked.

Serena shook her head.

"No."

"I'm sorry. I wish I could tell you more."

"Oh?" said Serena. "Why are you _really_ here, then? Are you really searching for answers? It seems like you have all of them already."

"I assure you, I don't," said Aria.

"Then why search for them here, of all places?"

Aria's lips were tight. She had trouble holding Serena's gaze.

"Because I wanted to see you."

"Why not just try to find me, then? There are only so many hotels in this tiny city. Surely the Kalos Queen can-"

"It's not so easy," Aria said, cutting her off with a raised hand. "I can't just drop into places like you can. If I push my luck too much, somebody will recognize me. I don't have the freedom of movement that you do."

Aria looked down at her feet. She let out a long, deep breath.

"And nobody, _nobody_ , acts normal around me."

Aria looked up again. Serena couldn't tell if Aria's eyes seemed wet because of the rain, or because of tears.

Aria pointed to the bench.

"I know this sounds ridiculous, but the conversations we shared on this bench, and in the grocery store, were the closest thing to genuine human interaction I've had in years."

Serena said nothing. She waited for Aria to speak again.

"You are the only person who has talked to me like that since I became Kalos Queen, like I was a regular old friend. You're the only one. So, I wanted to come back. I wanted to experience it again."

"Aria…"

Serena reached out to pull Aria into a hug, but she was waved away.

"I'm fine," Aria said, wrapping one arm around her other as she continued to hold her umbrella. "And careful with the name. We should be fine in the rain, though."

"Sorry!"

Aria looked lost. Serena stood there, feeling helpless.

"I don't know how to do this," said Aria.

"How to do what?"

"Talk to people! Like any normal person would! Every time I try to have a conversation or any kind of meaningful relationship with anyone, it fails. Here I am, making a fool of myself in front of you because of how awkward this is!"

Serena couldn't disagree. This was awkward.

"Most of the time, it doesn't even get this far," Aria said. "Most people are too starstruck."

Aria shook her head.

"Not you, though," she continued. "You told me about your feelings, confided in me like we were _friends!_ No matter how weird I was about it! How could I not crave more of that?"

Aria hid her face behind her spare hand. Serena looked around. They were alone. There was no danger in the name now, especially if she was quiet. She crept up under Aria's umbrella and whispered in her ear.

"Aria."

Aria jumped in surprise again when she saw Serena so close. Out of instinct, she backed away. The umbrella backed away with her.

When Aria saw the rain falling on Serena again, she held the umbrella out and covered her with it, exposing herself to the rain instead.

"I'm fine!" said Serena. "I have a raincoat! You don't!"

Serena pushed Aria's umbrella back toward her, covering her again. Now with water dripping down her hair, Aria looked even more embarrassed.

"It seemed like the polite thing to do," said Aria. "I don't know what I was thinking."

"Don't worry about it."

"What were you going to say to me?"

"Come with me."

Aria paused.

"Where?" she asked.

"Back to the penthouse where my friends and I are staying."

"I would love to, but I can't. It's too risky. I'll be found out."

"Just tell them who you are."

"They're not going to be able to relax around me. Believe me, I've seen it hundreds of times."

"Then just be Ariana. My friends aren't going to reveal your identity, even if they find out. They won't care."

"Do you believe that?"

Aria seemed like she was waiting on pins and needles for an answer.

Serena nodded at her.

"Yes, I do."

"I… I just don't know about this."

"You should come. It's awesome! We're staying in Diantha's penthouse. She gave us a vacation here as a reward for helping to stop the Team Flare attack. We've got movies, and pizza, and we made a giant pillow fort out of the living room! You can just come and hang out and be as normal or as weird as you want. No one is going to judge you."

Aria's look of doubt had transformed into what looked like guilt.

Serena frowned.

"Please?" she said. "Can you do it for me? I… I'm even more lost than you, and you're the only person I can turn to right now. I fought with Ash before I came here. Things are worse than ever with him. Everyone else is having too much fun to care, and I…"

Serena shifted uncomfortably on the spot. The words felt awkward to say, like she was exposing way too much of herself.

"...I need someone to be _with_ me."

Aria bit her lip.

"I would love to do that. I really would. But…"

"Please," said Serena. "I need you."

Serena was grateful that Aria was looking away. Her face scrunched up as she realized what she had just said. She hastily continued.

"And it should be a good time!" she said. "It's like a big slumber party!"

Aria's face showed no sign of recognition.

"...if you ever had one of those?" Serena said, stammering as she became redder and redder. "I have no idea if, you know, people as famous as, well, _you,_ do that."

A giddy grin was slowly forming on Aria's face.

"Did I hear you mention a _pillow fort?"_ she said.

Serena poked her index fingers together sheepishly.

"Do you, um, know what that is?"

Aria's face lit up with excitement.

"I haven't made one since I was a little girl!"

Serena's spirits soared.

"Do you want to come?"

Aria bit her lip.

"It sounds wonderful."

"Is that a yes?"

Aria took a deep breath.

"Yes!"

* * *

When Serena returned to the penthouse, she hoped to make a quiet entrance. Her hopes were dashed when she entered the living room with Aria, and multiple heads poked out of the pillow fort.

"Serena, there you are!" said Clemont. "We couldn't find you! What happened?"

"And who is this?" said Korrina, pointing at Aria.

"Um, hey everyone!" Serena said, giving them a nervous wave. "This is my friend Ariana. I went for a walk and ran into her, and I invited her to join us."

Clemont's face lit up with recognition.

"Ah, yes, we met before. Good to see you again!"

Bashfully, Aria waved back.

"Good to see you again, too."

Next to Clemont in the pillow fort, Korrina waved.

"I'm Korrina! Nice to meetcha."

"And the same to you."

Serena looked around, but there was no sign of Ash.

"Where's Ash?"

"Still sleeping," said Clemont. "We've been thinking of waking him up, though. Bonnie is insistent that we watch that vampire movie next. Speaking of which, where did she go?"

Clemont looked all around, but Serena already knew exactly where Bonnie was.

Bonnie was on one knee at Aria's feet, in a grand posture of proposal.

"Ariana, please, take care of my brother for me!"

Aria already looked baffled, and looked even more so when a mechanical Aipom arm came rocketing out of the pillow fort and yanked Bonnie away.

"Bonnie! I've told you not to do that a million times! So embarrassing…"

Aria glanced at Serena in disbelief.

"This is normal," said Serena.

Korrina burst out laughing, and Bonnie nervously chuckled along. Aria looked from them to Serena and back again, then the two of them joined in on the laughter.

"You're dedicated, aren't you?" Aria said to Bonnie.

"I've gotta find _someone_ to take care of him! I can't do it forever!"

Aria folded her hands and graciously shook her head.

"I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to decline your offer. I'm sure your brother will find someone on his own."

"Not at the rate he's going! He doesn't even try!"

Clemont looked like he could die of embarrassment.

"Bonnie, why do you put me through this?" he moaned.

"Believe it or not," said Aria, "many people find someone right for them without even trying. It just… happens."

Bonnie stopped trying to wriggle her way out of the Aipom arm's grip so she could put her fists on her hips and give Aria a cross look.

"Yeah right! That's the kind of thing grown-ups love to say! Like how babies _just happen_."

Bonnie accented her statement with air quotes. Clemont turned the color of a prune.

 _"Bonnie!"_

Korrina laughed again, this time shoving her face into a pillow to quiet herself.

"I'm just saying!" said Bonnie. "It sounds like something from a love story made up for TV!"

Serena hoped against hope that Bonnie's typical bluntness wasn't going to cause a premature end to Aria's visit. Aria looked rather red in the face.

Clemont reeled Bonnie in and released her from the Aipom arm.

"You're being very rude to our guest! Apologize now, or you're spending the rest of the night in your room!"

Bonnie hung her head. Pitiful, she came walking up to Aria again, this time in contrition.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said all those things. It wasn't polite."

Aria smiled. She placed a hand on Bonnie's shoulder.

"It's okay. I accept your apology."

At that moment, Serena turned her head as she heard Ash's voice behind her.

"Hey guys, what's going on? Who's this?"

"Ash!"

Serena stepped forward.

"Ash, this is Ariana! Do you remember her?"

Aria waved hello, but Ash went much further. He offered his hand for a handshake, and Aria stared at it.

"Hey, yeah! I remember you! Good to see ya again!"

Aria accepted Ash's handshake.

"It's good to see you again, too!" she said.

"Are you also on vacation, like we are?"

"I am! I was lucky enough to run into Serena while I was out, and she was kind enough to invite me to join you all."

"That's awesome! Glad you could make it."

"It's a good thing you're up again, Ash!" Korrina said, interrupting them. "We were just about to start the vampire movie!"

"Aw yeah!"

Serena shivered. This couldn't be the time. Not now, with Aria here. Not with everything going on with Ash. She couldn't do this right now. She couldn't watch the movie, but she couldn't run away, either.

She was trapped.

"Um… are we sure we want to watch that now, with a guest here?"

Aria offered her no help at all.

"I'm comfortable with it," she said.

Serena's eye twitched.

"If it's any comfort to you, I believe this film is very old," said Clemont. "You may find that it's not frightening anymore, by modern standards."

Sylveon rubbed up against Serena's leg, soothing her with her feelers. It was only the slightest comfort.

All around, the faces of her friends were against her. Ash was excited. Aria was intrigued. Clemont was calm and rational. Bonnie was stalking around like a vampire again. Korrina was amused, almost aloof.

Serena was terrified.

"If you don't want to watch it, you don't have to," said Clemont. "That decision is up to you."

"Yeah, it's no big deal," said Korrina.

It wasn't Clemont and Korrina's approval that Serena wanted. She looked to Ash.

"Aw, come on!" he said. "It'll be fun!"

Serena doubted that, but the excitement in his eyes was too contagious. She couldn't refuse the offer. Not now.

She had to _be_ the change.

Stiffly, she nodded at him.

"Okay."

"Right on!" said Ash.

The pillow fort filled up again, this time with an extra occupant. Looking quite excited, Aria slipped under the sheets and slid in next to Serena. Everyone was packed so close.

Serena could barely breathe as the movie began. She kept waiting for sound, for creeping chords or a desperate scream. Instead, all she got were long opening credits and silence.

"What's wrong?" said Bonnie. "Why is there no sound?"

"This is a silent film," said Clemont.

Korrina turned over the movie's case, reading the back side.

"Grandpa never told me _that,"_ she said, looking confused.

"Silent?" said Bonnie. "Why would anyone make a silent movie? You can't hear what anyone says!"

"A long time ago, when film was first invented, there was no way to play sound along with the moving pictures," said Clemont. "Until feasible technology was devised, early films were silent."

Just then, the seemingly wordless speech of one of the characters was shown on the screen - in text form. The camera cut away to a title card.

"You have to _read_ this movie?" said Bonnie.

Despite Bonnie's protests, Serena was thoroughly creeped out. The font on the title card was a macabre sort of script. The silence made everything eerier. There was something strange about the way the actors behaved, as if they didn't know how to portray real human interaction. It felt alien, uncanny.

The main character was a blindly optimistic young real estate agent who was to be sent far away on a business trip to sell a house to a strange man who lived alone in a decrepit castle. The young man's grandiose romantic gestures toward his wife would have been touching if only the actress portraying her showed any signs she actually loved him. She looked at him with unease. There was something very wrong.

It reminded Serena way too much of her and Ash.

While the agent's wife played with an Espurr in their garden, her husband surprised her with a bouquet of flowers he picked for her. She didn't look happy. She looked sullen. She asked him why he killed such beautiful flowers.

Yet her husband continued along as if he had not a care in the world. He was just like Ash. He couldn't see there was something wrong. He was oblivious.

And so, when he arrived at the castle and was welcomed by a gaunt man who was obviously a vampire, he continued along as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

When he cut his thumb at dinner, Serena squirmed. She knew what was coming. Somehow, he did not.

The vampire wanted to feed on his blood. He was horrified, but how could he not have known? There were so many signs, and he ignored all of them.

Serena looked at Ash and found him with his eyes fixed on the screen. He looked vacant, almost bored. How could he not see what was happening? She was right there, inches away. There were so many signs.

Her hand squirmed under the pillows, searching for his. She found nothing.

Bonnie broke the silence with a loud snore.

"It looks like she fell asleep," said Clemont. "I'll put her to bed."

Clemont scooped Bonnie up and carried her out of the pillow fort, returning a minute later. With Bonnie gone, there was more room to spread out in the fort, but Serena didn't want to. She wanted to be closer.

Now, the young real estate agent was shocked when he found the vampire sleeping in a coffin. His wife was sleepwalking in a trance-like state.

Aria whispered in Serena's ear.

"Are you breathing?"

If she wasn't before, Aria's question made her stop momentarily.

"Yes," Serena replied breathlessly.

"It's okay to be scared."

"I'm not scared."

"Yes you are. It's written all over your face. You look more scared than the characters in the movie."

"Pointing that out is not helping!"

"I'm scared, too."

Serena blinked several times in silence. Aria's face was still as inscrutable as ever, perfectly poised. She didn't look scared.

"It's okay," Aria whispered. "There's no shame in it."

The vampire's reign of death began. He shipped himself to the city hidden in a coffin, and after feeding on and killing all of the ship's crew, he took to feeding on the citizens. The people blamed it on the plague. Pallbearers marched down the street with coffin after coffin atop their shoulders. All the while, the vampire leered at the young estate agent's wife from a decrepit, abandoned building across the river every night.

An evil book explained that the only way to defeat the monster was for a pure maiden to keep the vampire up all night so that he was exposed to the light of sunrise.

When the shadow of the vampire came creeping up the stairs, Serena knew the young woman was going to die.

She shivered. The spidery, clawed hands of the vampire reached for the door.

Serena yearned for Ash's hand.

She got someone else's.

Under the pillows, on the opposite side she expected, Aria slipped her hand around hers.

"It's okay," Aria whispered. "It will be over soon. It's only a movie."

The young maiden succeeded, at the cost of her life. The vampire fed from her neck until dawn, and when light broke, he stood before the open window and evaporated.

The young estate agent wept over his deceased wife's body.

The end.

Serena's heart thundered. She was sure the others could hear it.

Somehow, she had done it. She watched an entire horror movie.

Aria let go of Serena's hand. On Serena's other side, Ash yawned.

"That was kinda boring," he said.

"I thought it was pretty cool!" said Korrina. "It's awesome how they did that with no special effects or anything. I see why grandpa calls it a classic."

"Indeed, this film was a landmark technical achievement for its time," said Clemont.

"Huh. Science is so amazing…" Ash said through another yawn.

To Serena's surprise, Aria spoke up.

"Such creative use of shadows, too! It's been so influential on cinema."

"It certainly has!" said Clemont. "It was fascinating to see it."

Ash yawned yet again, louder this time.

"I think I'm gonna turn in for the night. That movie really put me to sleep!"

"Are you sure?" said Clemont. "I believe we're going to watch the Empoleon documentary next."

"Nah, that one will _definitely_ make me fall asleep."

Korrina laughed, and Clemont shrugged. Serena just watched as Ash got up and left the fort. She already missed his warmth.

"Goodnight, everyone."

He turned down the hall, and he was gone.

Clemont and Korrina went through the trouble of changing the movie in the player. Serena just sat there, stunned.

She watched a horror movie. She did it for Ash. She was terrified the whole time, and Ash offered her no comfort at all. Somehow, it was Aria who did.

All around her, everyone was oblivious.

"Oh, I like this one!" Aria said as the movie began. "The Empoleon and all the little Piplup are so adorable."

"Have you seen this?" said Clemont. "I've been meaning to see it for quite a while. I've heard it's very good."

"Oh, it is," said Aria. "I love the narrator."

"I second that!" said Korrina.

And life carried on. Aria bantered a bit with Clemont and Korrina while Serena sat there wordlessly, watching thousands of Empoleon march across an ice-covered landscape.

Serena came to realize that everyone except her was having a good time. Aria was smiling, Clemont looked fascinated, and Korrina was enjoying herself as always. When Serena yawned, she knew it was time to step aside.

"I think it's time for me to call it a night, too," she said.

As she stood up, she thought she saw disappointment on Aria's face.

"Will you be okay out here?" Serena asked her.

"I'm sure I will be. Have a good night, and sleep well."

"Thanks."

When Serena returned to her room, she locked the door behind her.

There was so much she didn't understand.


	6. All the World's a Stage

Chapter Six - All the World's a Stage

The next morning, Serena awoke early. After days of stress and odd hours, the rhythms of her body were out of order. The sun was just peeking over the horizon.

She realized none of her Pokémon were with her. They were all still out in the living room. Hoping to see them, she left her bedroom and returned to the location of their pillow fort from the previous day.

What awaited her was unexpected.

Everyone's Pokémon were scattered around the suite in groups, just as they were the day before, most of them still asleep. Greninja and Lucario appeared to be meditating together by a window. Braixen was sitting against a wall nearby, stealing occasional glances while she pretended to be asleep.

In the remains of what was once an orderly living room, Aria slept in an awkward position atop a sofa which had been stripped of its cushions.

Clemont and Korrina were both still in the pillow fort, asleep.

Korrina had her arms wrapped around him.

Serena covered her mouth with her hands. She couldn't believe her eyes. The two of them were asleep in the pillow fort together. They weren't just close. They were touching. Korrina was cuddling Clemont.

She backed away, trying not to stare, partly out of fear that they weren't actually asleep. In doing so, she bumped into the cushionless sofa where Aria lay.

Serena scrambled to stay upright, grabbing onto the armrest as her legs went out from under her. If Aria wasn't awake already, she was now. She stirred and immediately rubbed a spot on her back. There was no way she had been comfortable.

Embarrassed both for what she walked in on and what she walked into, Serena spoke in a hushed tone.

"Aria!"

Aria's groggy eyes shot open. She looked up at Serena, whose head was dangling over her. Without making a sound, Aria held a finger up to her lips and made an exaggerated shush face.

"Sorry!" Serena whispered.

"Careful!" Aria whispered back. "I think they're still asleep, though."

Aria pointed to Clemont and Korrina in the pillow fort. She sat upright on the bare sofa, massaging a spot on her neck. All the pillows were still in the fort. Aria didn't even have a blanket.

Serena pulled herself back up to her full height. She had no idea where to begin.

"What happened?"

"They've been like that all night."

"All night?!"

"The longer that Empoleon movie went on, the quieter things became. When I looked over at the two of them, she had her head on his shoulder. I think she fell asleep like that, and he didn't seem to mind."

A blush was forming on Serena's cheeks. The sheer number of thoughts and emotions swirling around her brain was unbearable. Confusion, first of all, but also jealousy.

Not even four days ago, Clemont had been flustered and frustrated by the mere mention of relationships. He said to her face he was no good with feelings. Despite that, here he was, cuddled up with Korrina.

More progress in days than she made in years. Without even trying.

"I didn't want to disturb them, so I pretended not to notice until I was sure they were both asleep," said Aria. "Then, I got out of there, but there wasn't anywhere else for me to go, so I spent the night up here."

"Did they… _kiss?"_

Serena's heart skipped a beat as the words left her mouth. She clutched her hand against her chest.

Aria looked mortified by the question.

"It's not any of my business, or yours!"

Serena had the sudden feeling of being dirty and itchy all over. It was wrong of her to ask, but something compelled her to know.

Aria took a deep breath and rubbed her temples.

"I understand why you want to know, though."

Serena looked down at her feet, her face burning with shame.

"I shouldn't have asked."

"Don't beat yourself up over it. I get it."

Serena rolled her eyes.

"Of course you do."

"I promise you, I don't have all the answers."

"You have most of them!"

"I wish I did."

"It's like you know things about me that I don't know about myself!"

Aria shifted her gaze from Serena to Clemont and Korrina.

"You've been trying so hard to get Ash to notice you, but the two of them hit it off effortlessly. It's natural that you would be frustrated."

"Do you know what that feels like?"

Aria looked at her.

"Maybe."

There was something meaningful about Aria's gaze, something Serena could only begin to comprehend.

Something that made her very angry with Ash.

Serena gesticulated wildly in the direction of Clemont and Korrina.

"They're… doing that! And Ash doesn't even want to spend time with me, even after I ask him!"

Aria pursed her lips, devoting a moment of thought to what she was about to say.

"I want to spend time with you."

Aria's words were sobering. They were simple, and they were honest. They were everything she needed.

Serena took a deep breath and looked around at the mess, then at Clemont and Korrina.

"We can't let Bonnie see this."

* * *

After bribing Chespin with the last slice of pizza, Serena and Aria left the room. Chespin did the rest, waking Clemont and Korrina up with what sounded like Pin Missile. The commotion gave them a perfect window to slip out unnoticed.

A few minutes later, they strolled up to a café.

"Are you sure about this?" Serena asked. "You're always so worried about being noticed."

"It's a risk, but I want to take it. I want to have breakfast like a normal person, for once."

Aria pulled open the door and led the two of them inside, to a table isolated in the corner. The crowd of people inside paid no attention to either of them.

"What do you do? Do you have to order delivery for every meal?"

"It depends. I like to try to cook my own meals when I can, but I don't get many chances to cook, and I'm not very good at it."

"Is it weird being in here now?"

"Very much so."

"How do you feel about it?"

Aria smiled.

"Excited."

"That's funny. This is so normal for me. Honestly, if you weren't here, I'd be kind of bothered by the number of people in here."

"It's the breakfast rush, isn't it?"

Aria asked the question as if she had never seen it before. Perhaps she had not.

"It is," said Serena. "You know, it's weird. I like cities, but I don't like crowds."

"It's strange that you chose to compete in showcases, then."

"Showcases have helped me get over some of my fears."

"Such as?"

"Talking to you, for one."

Aria's expression soured.

"I'm serious!" said Serena. "I know you say I'm special for the way I talk to you, but if I hadn't competed against you, I don't know if I could do it! I would probably still be too starstruck like everyone else. It helps that I can kind of see you as a peer."

Aria weighed Serena's words.

"I appreciate your honesty. Although, if I may also be honest with you, can I admit that I don't really see you as my peer?"

"Why? I was in the finals with you!"

"I mean no disrespect, but you were never going to win."

Serena crossed her arms.

"Let me guess! This has something to do with that mysterious thing I don't have, doesn't it?"

"Everything, actually."

"And you're not going to tell me what it is, are you?"

"Not right now," Aria said, pointing to the waiter walking up to their table.

They ordered, and Aria continued.

"It's still not my place to tell you."

"Why even bring it up, then? I'm losing my mind!"

"That's exactly why I wanted to bring it up."

"To torment me more?"

"To help you _stop_ tormenting yourself."

"It's not working!"

"I've noticed."

Serena groaned, running her hands up through her hair. Gripping fistfuls of it, she rested her elbows on the table.

Aria smiled at her. It looked like she was trying to be encouraging. Serena wasn't buying it.

"I know this is easier said than done, but you need to let it go," Aria said.

"How am I supposed to do that? It's affecting every single thing in my life!"

"It shouldn't be. You've made it so much bigger than it really is!"

"How could I not make a big deal out of it? I've failed at everything I wanted to do! I must be doing _something_ wrong!"

Aria shook her head.

"You're not a failure. Stop saying that you are. It's not true."

"It _feels_ like it's true."

"You know it isn't. You're being much too hard on yourself. About everything."

"It would be easier to take it easy on myself if I didn't have Palermo's words stuck in my head all the time!"

"That's why you need to let it go! One of many reasons, really."

"What are the other reasons?"

"Palermo is not all she presents herself to be. You're putting too much faith in her words."

"What does that mean?"

Aria mimed zipping her lips shut.

"I hate you," said Serena, pouting at her.

"No you don't."

"Why do you hate me, then?"

"I don't. You know that."

"I can't _stand_ not knowing! It's driving me crazy!"

"All the more reason you need to let it go."

"I _can't_ let it go. That would be giving up before the end."

"Sometimes, giving up is the right thing to do."

"It's not the right thing for me."

"What makes you so sure of that?"

"I don't let things go. I don't give up. I made a promise I never would."

"A promise?"

"With Ash."

"Oh."

The waiter arrived at their table again, carrying two cups of tea. Aria busied herself with stirring hers, staring into the rising steam.

"It's an unspoken promise between us," said Serena. "He always keeps it, and so do I."

"Unspoken? How do you know it's a real promise, then?"

"It's… not entirely unspoken. We remind each other not to give up all the time. Yesterday, when I talked to Ash, he was upset because he felt like he had let me down by losing the Kalos League finals."

"How did you two make this _promise_ in the first place?"

"I met Ash at summer camp when I was a little girl. I got lost in the woods one day and injured my knee, and Ash rescued me. He told me then never to give up, and when we met again years later, it became… our thing. Not giving up."

"Was he your childhood hero?"

"Yes, absolutely. He was more than that, though. I had a crush on him from the day met him. What he did to rescue me set it in stone. I never let go of it."

"And you didn't see him for years after that?"

"Yes, years. I never gave up hope that we would meet again someday. I never let go of my feelings for him, and I never will."

Aria stirred her tea, lost in thought.

"So, of course I can't let go of what Palermo said," said Serena.

Aria looked up from her tea with a small, sad sort of smile on her face.

"You really are determined, aren't you?"

"Ash says I am."

"You're still trying to win his heart?"

"I always will."

"But you're running out of time, yes?"

Serena winced. What had started as two more weeks with Ash was now much closer to one week. At first, it seemed like so much time. Now, it was no time at all.

"Yes."

"Do you have a plan?"

"No, but it's not my fault! Miette keeps interfering!"

"Oh? What has she done now?"

"She embarrassed me in the baking competition, and then she invited Ash to be her partner in the Pokémon beach volleyball tournament. Ash said yes because she told him it would be a great _training exercise_ for his battle with Siebold."

"If Miette keeps inviting Ash out on dates, maybe you should try asking him out as well."

Serena was indignant.

"Are you crazy? I can't do that!"

"Why not?"

"He doesn't know how I feel!"

"He doesn't know how Miette feels either, does he?"

"No, but that's different."

"How is it different?"

Serena struggled to form her thoughts into a sentence.

"Because… because she's cheating!"

"Cheating? How? By actually asking him out?"

"Yes! It's not fair! If I won't do it, she shouldn't, either."

Aria laughed.

"That really isn't how dating works."

Serena lowered her head to the table and pressed her forehead against the cold surface. She wanted to bang her head against the table, over and over again.

"I know."

"If Miette is making moves, you need to make some moves of your own."

Serena groaned into the table. She lifted her head again.

"I know I need to do something. I just don't know what to do!"

"Invite him to something!"

"Like what? He's staying up all night and sleeping all day just to train."

"Invite him to something at night, then!"

Serena put an elbow on the table and rested her head in her hand. She tried to think of something, anything that could lure Ash away from training.

"Korrina mentioned a summer bonfire the other day. Maybe I could ask him to that."

Aria's eyes went wide, and she averted them to her tea again.

"I was actually thinking of asking you to come with me to that," said Aria. "If you would rather go with Ash, though, I understand."

"You were going to ask _me?"_

Serena looked up at Aria. Aria nodded at her.

"What is this bonfire, anyway?" said Serena.

"It's a festival Monego City holds in the middle of summer every year. It's supposed to be about fire symbolizing the cycle of life. People like to write down all their worries on paper and throw them into the fire."

Aria cupped her hands around her mug.

"It's a freeing feeling, like getting a chance to start over again."

Serena very much wanted a chance to start over again.

"It sounds wonderful," she said. "It would be great if Ash would go with me, but if he doesn't…"

Serena didn't finish her sentence. She met eyes with Aria.

There was a long pause.

Aria parted her lips. After a pause, she spoke.

"If you're concerned about Miette stealing Ash away from you, you might not want to rely on going to the bonfire. It's a week from tomorrow, but the volleyball tournament is tomorrow, isn't it? I've seen flyers around the city."

Serena winced and rubbed her forehead.

"I think that's right."

She leaned her head back and let out an exasperated breath.

"What am I going to do?" she said, staring at the ceiling.

"Enter the tournament. Beat her."

Serena looked at Aria again.

"That didn't go so well for me last time I tried."

"You're not giving up, are you?"

Aria was smirking at her. Serena shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"No…"

"If you want to win Ash's heart, you're going to have to _do_ something to win it."

Serena sighed.

"I know."

Aria leaned in closer, gripping her cup of tea with both hands.

"Just because you think someone is the one for you doesn't mean _they_ think you are. You have to be the person that the person you are looking for is looking for."

"Ash isn't _looking_ , though."

"So he's never going to find you if you just sit there and hope."

Serena shook her head over and over. Of course Ash was never going to find her, even if she was sitting right in front of him. He was never going to understand emotional gestures, grand or small. He was never going to understand words. He didn't speak that language. What he understood was _action_.

She had to take action.

"I have to enter that tournament."

"I certainly agree."

"I have to have a partner, though! Who can I ask?"

Serena pressed her fingertips into her temples, wracking her brain. Aria raised an eyebrow at her.

"Is it really that complicated?"

"I can't ask Ash since he's going to be there with Miette. Clemont is no good with sports, plus he may want to spend more time with Korrina now? Wow, it's weird saying that. And Korrina would be great, but she may want to be with Clemont, so that might not be an option. Bonnie is too young. That's everyone I know in this city, except-"

Their eyes met.

"-you."

Aria tilted her head forward expectantly.

"You can't do it!" said Serena. "You'll be recognized for sure! As soon as the crowd sees you with your Pokémon, they'll know! And don't we have to wear, you know, beach clothes? How are you going to disguise yourself like that?"

Aria winked.

"Refuge in audacity!"

"Huh?"

"No one will believe it's actually me. It's too ridiculous!"

"Are you sure?"

"It's your best bet, isn't it?"

Serena didn't answer. She had her doubts that this was, in fact, the best course of action.

Aria tried to reassure her.

"It's not like I'm going to be out there in an outfit from one of my videos. I don't have to use my own Pokémon, either. That is, if you would let me borrow one of yours."

"I-"

She couldn't express everything going on in her head. Aria's plan was too risky, too obvious. It was the exact opposite of what she would normally try to do.

And that was exactly why she had to do it.

* * *

The rest of the day was spent on the beach, with Serena helping Sylveon get used to working with Aria. Together, she and Pancham worked with Aria and Sylveon on keeping a beach ball in the air as long as possible. There was even a practice net available, but there were many other trainers using it. Their time with it was limited, but the results were promising. Pancham had more than enough speed and strength to be dependable at keeping the ball in the air. Sylveon was a bit more questionable, but by the end of the day, she seemed competent enough with using her feelers to bounce the ball, and levitating it with Fairy Wind.

The next morning, Serena met Aria on the beach. A crowd was already gathered.

True to her word, Aria blended in perfectly. Her unlimited clothing budget afforded her the ability to disguise herself effortlessly. Her hair was drawn up into a tight bun and secured by a visor. Her usual fake glasses were replaced by opaque sunglasses which obscured her eyes. She wore a tank top and a sporty skirt, with her exposed skin covered in so much sunscreen that she looked pale.

Serena admired the dedication.

"I can barely recognize you," she whispered into Aria's ear, pulling her out of the crowd.

"Good! If you can't, then my chances are all the better that no one else will, either."

Serena felt kind of silly standing next to Aria. Even when Aria was trying to be plain, it made Serena feel even plainer in comparison. She was just dressed in her seldom-used bathing suit. It was wrinkly from months at the bottom of her bag. It felt musty against her skin.

She let Pancham and Sylveon out from their balls. Sylveon looked quite confused about Aria's identity at first. When she wrapped her feelers around Aria's leg, she withdrew them a second later, disgusted by the greasy sunscreen.

"Awful, isn't it?" Aria said to Sylveon.

Sylveon looked very displeased.

Serena paid no attention. She scanned the crowd for any sign of Ash, or her nemesis. She found something unexpected.

 _"Clemont?"_

Clemont stood alone in the crowd, looking bewildered. He was wearing full scuba gear, flippers included. He held a diving helmet under his arm.

"Serena?"

Serena ran up to him.

"What are you doing here?" Serena asked him "Are you lost?"

"I think that's a distinct possibility, actually. Korrina told me there was something fun going on at the beach today and to meet her here in the morning. She said I should bring swimwear."

Serena gawked at him. She was certain that Korrina intended to invite him to the tournament, but she didn't tell him what it was because there was no way he would participate if he knew. Little had Korrina known that Clemont would take the idea of _swimwear_ to mean something very different than what she intended.

"I'm sure she'll be here any minute," Clemont said. "Then I can get out of this crowd. I think my gear may be attracting some attention."

As Clemont spoke, Serena saw the flash of a camera going off behind him.

Serena began to back away.

"Well, um… good luck!" she said before wading her way back through the crowd.

A few minutes later, Serena distinctly heard Korrina exclaim _"What?!"_ from far away in the crowd.

A ridiculously over-tanned lifeguard arrived with several other people who looked like staff. After blowing his whistle many times, he corralled the people on the beach into a registration line.

Together, Serena waited with Aria for what felt like ages. The beach was a mess of people. The more Serena observed the people in line, the more she noticed something peculiar.

The body language of most of the people there wasn't merely that they were there with a partner. It was more than that.

They were surrounded by couples.

At the registration booth, she signed her name, lost in thought.

There were couples everywhere. Clemont was here with Korrina. Ash was supposed to be here with Miette!

And she was here with… Aria?

It was tough to tell behind the sunglasses, but Aria appeared unconcerned.

"You look a bit red," Aria said as they finished at the registration booth. "Are you burned already? I have more sunscreen."

"No, I'm fine, it's just…"

Serena couldn't bring the words to her mouth.

"Just what?"

Serena bit her lip.

"It's…"

She turned to face Aria. She leaned in and whispered to her in an exasperated, strained tone.

"So many of these teams are couples!"

One of Aria's eyebrows shot up from behind her sunglasses.

"So?"

"It's just-"

Serena clutched at her collarbone, where Ash's ribbon would normally be. She groaned.

"All these people around us are on dates!" said Serena.

"...and?"

"It's… _awkward!"_

"Because we're here together?"

"Because I'm not here with Ash! He's here with Miette, as a couple! So are Clemont and Korrina!"

Aria crossed her arms.

"Are you opposed to being here with me?"

Serena poked the tips of her index fingers together, bashfully.

"No, I just... wish I was with Ash."

"We're here to _beat_ Ash!" said Aria. "Get your head in the game!"

Serena took a deep breath.

"You're right," she said, rubbing her forehead.

"It doesn't matter who is here together! I had to fake my identity just to enter!"

Serena shook her head.

"I've got to pull myself together. I can't give up now."

Her lips tight, Aria nodded.

"Let's stretch and get warmed up. It will help you focus."

Serena followed Aria to one of the emptier corners of the beach. There, they sat face to face. Aria instructed Serena to follow her lead, and she led her in a long set of stretches.

Serena soon found herself aching all over.

"How do make it look so easy?"

Aria leaned forward, legs outstretched. She easily not only reached her toes, but folded all the way down, her hands reaching far beyond her feet. Serena was only able to touch the tips of her toes, and only then with a searing pain in the back of her legs.

"We used to do this warmup every day in dance school."

"Dance school?"

"Yep! Dance school. There was another set of warm-up exercises we would do in the theater every day, too."

Serena looked up from her aching legs, meeting Aria's eyes.

"You were in theater?"

"You didn't know that?"

"No."

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised."

"What do you mean?"

A smile formed on the corner of Aria's lips.

"I thought everyone in Kalos knew that about me."

"I didn't."

"You're not much like everyone else, are you?"

"I guess not."

Aria just shook her head.

"You're not much like I expected, either, you know," said Serena.

Aria's smile flattened.

"Oh really?"

"Yes! I would never have thought that _you_ , of all people, would be here doing this with me."

 _"Me,_ of all people."

Aria returned to focusing on her stretches.

"Yes, you! The Kalos Q-"

 _"Shh!"_

Aria made a cutting gesture across her neck. Serena held her hands up in surrender.

"Sorry!"

Aria sat upright and sighed. She locked eyes with Serena.

Serena had never seen her so serious.

"This is why I find it so frustrating when people can't get past _who_ I am. _What_ I am. It's never _'Wow, it was nice to talk to you, you're a great person!'_ It's always _'Wow, you're the-'"_

Aria cut herself off. She looked away, then continued in a whisper.

"It's always _'Wow, you're…_ me.'"

"People are thrilled to meet you, though. You mean a lot to so many people!"

Aria's eyes met Serena's again. They made Serena freeze.

"The _idea_ of who I am means something to people, not who I actually am. That's the thing about being on the stage, on the camera. People are always happy to see you, but it's not _you_ they're happy to see. They're happy to see _what_ you are to them. They're not happy to see _you_. To see _me._ "

"I'm happy to see _you._ "

Aria gave Serena a level glance.

"Are you _really?"_

"Yes!"

Aria's gaze narrowed.

"I thought you would rather be here with Ash."

"Well-"

"People tell me all the time they're happy to see me. It's always a lie. They're not happy to see _me._ They're happy to see _the queen._ That's the catch to all of this. For me, the entire world is a stage. I can never leave the eye of the camera. I can't truly be _me_ anywhere."

"Can't you do that with me?"

"I'm pretending to be another person right now!"

Serena bit her tongue.

"I'm an _idea_ to people, not a person," Aria said. "So, it hurts when you say you can't believe it's me, of all people, here with you. Because you didn't know _me_ before any of this."

Aria stood. With her arms crossed, she turned to the side, facing away from Serena.

Serena did not dare to stand and face her. She looked up at her.

"I'm sorry," Serena whispered.

Aria closed her eyes and bowed her head.

"I know. I'm sorry, too."

"...for what?"

"Everything."

* * *

It was shortly afterward that the lifeguard from earlier took to a loudspeaker to begin making announcements. As the contestants gathered to listen, Serena caught sight of Korrina with a rather embarrassed Clemont, who had abandoned his flippers and diving helmet, but still wore his scuba suit. Next to him, Korrina looked quite normal, dressed in simple athletic gear.

But then, she finally caught sight of Ash and Miette. Ash was in his regular pair of swim trunks she had seen dozens of times. Miette, however, was in a bikini. It was an obvious ploy to flaunt herself in front of him once again. It made Serena grind her teeth.

The rules were announced. Only Pokémon could touch the ball. Any moves could be used so long as they did not damage the ball, alter the playing field, or affect the other team in any way.

The tournament broke the pool of contestants into four groups. The four groups would play single-elimination matches until only one team was left in each group, and those four teams would advance to the semifinals.

Serena was relieved to see Clemont and Korrina placed in a different preliminary group than her and Aria. When Ash and Miette drew their placement, though, Serena's skin crawled.

They were in the same group. What happened next was inevitable.

"Serena and Ariana versus Ash and Miette! Both teams, please report to court four!"

Round one pairings were posted. Serena couldn't believe her ears, nor her eyes. Scanning the posted list of pairings just to be sure, the list confirmed it. They would have to face Ash and Miette in the very first preliminary round.

When Serena arrived at the court, she found Miette already there with Ash. The two of them were exchanging a friendly handshake with Ariana.

Serena couldn't be sure, but it appeared to her that Ash looked unwell. His face seemed pale. His movements were tight and tense.

He looked nervous.

Before Serena could say anything, Miette noticed her.

"Ah, there you are!" said Miette. Her previously polite demeanor evaporated. Her face transformed into a sneer.

Serena said nothing. She stood on her side of the net and glared.

"I was afraid you wouldn't show up!" Miette said, stepping closer. "Why, after your performance at the baking contest, I'm surprised you didn't leave once you heard the pairings!"

"You don't know Serena very well, then!" said Ash, holding back an obviously fake laugh. "She never gives up! Isn't that right?"

Ash looked at Serena like he expected an enthusiastic reply. She did not give him one. His attempt at pretending everything was normal was so pitiful that neither one of them believed it.

Refusing to look Ash in the eye, Serena focused on Miette.

"I will never give up to the likes of _you."_

"Ooh, that's what I like to hear," said Miette. "You always do make it fun."

Miette smirked. She stepped closer to Ash. Serena couldn't help but notice that Miette looked just a shade darker than normal. Her whole body looked almost shiny in the sunlight. There was no doubt she had covered herself in tanning oil.

Serena rolled her eyes. There was no way Ash had noticed.

Aria came up next to Serena.

"Shall we begin?" she asked, looking around at everyone.

"Not without finishing the handshakes!" said Miette.

Grinning, she extended a hand to Serena under the net.

Serena stared at Miette's hand for a moment, then extended her own. She gripped Miette's hand with the intent of breaking it. Miette did the same.

When their stiff handshake ended, Serena extended her hand to Ash. As soon as she felt his hand touch hers, she gave him the fastest shake she could and pulled her hand away. His hand was clammy. She never looked him in the eye.

Everyone went to their positions on their sides of the court and sent out their Pokémon of choice. Pancham and Sylveon lined up opposite to Greninja and Slurpuff.

Pancham had the first serve.

As soon as the ball was in the air, so was Greninja. Effortlessly, he jumped up to meet the ball in its path.

"Spike it!" said Ash.

"Fairy Wind!" said Aria.

Sylveon ran up to the net and hurried to launch her attack. She fired just in time. The pink wind cushioned the ball's fall just enough for Pancham to get underneath it.

"Arm Thrust!" said Serena.

Pancham struck the ball and sent it high into the air, its downward arc heading right toward Greninja.

But it wasn't Greninja's turn to hit the ball.

"Slurpuff, Reflect!"

Slurpuff put up a barrier, but not around itself. It was Greninja who was shielded. The ball bounced off the shield, and Greninja sprung into action again.

Greninja hit the ball high in the air. Too high. There was no telling where it would land.

Miette met eyes with Serena. She smirked.

"Slurpuff, Psychic!"

Slurpuff's eyes glowed a shade of indigo, and the ball's erratic movement became steady. Wrapped in the same indigo light, it rocketed straight toward the ground on Serena and Aria's side of the field.

"Catch it, Sylveon!" said Aria. "Set up the return!"

Craning her neck up at the sky, Sylveon scrambled to get in position beneath the ball. Just as she thought she had the right spot, Slurpuff moved the ball out of the way. She scurried into position again, and again. Slurpuff kept moving it. Sylveon braced herself to catch it with her feelers.

The ball hit Sylveon at full force, slipping through her feelers and knocking her to the ground. The ball landed in the sand, rolling a few times before stopping.

The point went to Ash and Miette.

And it seemed to be to Ash's horror.

"That wasn't fair!" said Ash, staring at Miette in disbelief.

Miette smirked.

 _"All's fair in love and war."_

Ash froze. He looked like he had just swallowed an ice cube.

Serena and Aria exchanged a horrified glance, then stalked over to the judge.

"You're giving them the point for that?" said Aria.

"That's cheating!" said Serena.

The judge shook her head.

"No rules were violated. The ball was not damaged, the attack was not used against your Pokémon directly, and the field was not altered in any way. Neither Slurpuff nor Greninja played out of turn. The point goes to them."

"Slurpuff completely controlled the path of the ball!" said Aria. "The ball was used to attack Sylveon!"

The judge shook her head again.

"The ball was put in a playable position. If your Pokémon can't handle returning it, that's your problem. It's within the game rules."

Serena and Aria stared at each other, mouths hanging open.

Miette called to the two of them.

"Is there a problem, girls?" she said.

Serena turned her head, teeth clenched. Miette was waving at them, cheerily. Ash just scratched the back of his neck, smiling nervously.

The judge spoke again.

"If you don't get back to the trainer's box, that will be another point awarded to them."

With no choice but to go back, Serena and Aria returned to their positions.

"What do we do?" Serena whispered.

"I wish I had an answer for you," said Aria.

Serena gulped as Greninja prepared to serve. On the other side of the net, Ash looked vacant, completely stone-faced.

He looked like he had seen a ghost.

The rest of the match was a farce. Nothing Serena and Aria tried was effective. Greninja was much too agile, and Slurpuff's Psychic proved impossible to defend. All the while, Aria became more and more quiet.

They never scored.

They were out of the tournament after only one round.

As they walked off the court, utterly defeated, Aria handed Sylveon's Poké Ball to Serena.

"I'm so sorry," said Aria. "I truly am."

Serena accepted the ball from Aria. She stared, trying to form words, but Aria spoke before she could.

"I didn't mean for it to end like this," said Aria. "It... it wasn't supposed to be like this."

"What are you talking about?" said Serena. "I don't understand."

Aria paused for a moment.

"I need to go."

And she went.

Stunned, Serena was left behind, alone, with two dejected Pokémon.

* * *

Not long after Aria left, Serena found Bonnie, who was escorted by Pikachu and Hawlucha. While Pikachu was merely enjoying Bonnie and Dedenne's company, Hawlucha had been appointed as Bonnie's bodyguard. He was taking his job very seriously. As passerby came too close for his liking, he would jump between them and Bonnie and strike a fearsome pose until they were gone.

Pancham was frustrated with the loss, but Sylveon was despondent. It wasn't until Serena found a stand selling frozen treats and gave one to Sylveon that her mood improved at all.

The day dragged on. The early rounds were disorganized and quickly showed that at least half of the trainers involved had no business competing. There was a Chesnaught who earned its team a disqualification when the ball became impaled on its back, and a Doublade which earned the same for slicing the ball in half. There was a particularly awful match involving one team with a Goomy and a Flabebe, and the other team with a Fletchling and a Spewpa, in which neither team appeared capable of even serving the ball over the net.

It was no surprise whatsoever when Clemont and Korrina won their group, and Ash and Miette won theirs. Although Slurpuff was rather awkward on the field, Greninja was more than capable of handling most of their matches with minimal assistance.

Serena saw the inevitable coming all day. Clemont and Korrina were going to face Ash and Miette in the finals. There was no stopping it.

And so, when they took the field for the final match, Serena found herself in an unfamiliar position.

For once, she was rooting against Ash.

"Go, Clemont! You can do it, big brother!"

Bonnie jumped up and down, cheering. Serena couldn't help but agree with her rooting interests.

Even from her viewing distance, it was obvious that Miette had spent the entire day aggressively flirting with him. She kept touching him, finding any excuse to put her hands on him, and giving him every reason to put his hands on her. Serena even saw her ask him to reapply her tanning oil.

No matter what, she couldn't bear to see Miette win.

She cheered for Clemont. Crazy scuba suit and all.

"Go Clemont! Go Korrina! You can win this!"

Serena saw Ash look in her direction, surprise on his face. He must have heard her.

Somewhere, deep inside, she was glad he did.

Slurpuff served with Psychic. The serve was intentionally clumsy. The odd placement and long travel time gave Greninja ample opportunity to get in position for a strong return.

Korrina saw right through it.

"Lucario, Mach Punch!"

"Greninja, Water Shuriken!"

Lucario fired the ball back at blinding speed, and Greninja did the same.

And then, the game completely fell apart.

Bunnelby had no chance of keeping up with the speed of Greninja's return, but there was no need. The ball went flying far beyond the court.

Again and again, shot after shot was much too powerful. Not even Slurpuff's Psychic could contain the ball.

And so it went on and on. Neither team could score the two consecutive points required to win.

So Korrina reached for her Key Stone.

"Ash, I know you've been waiting for this!"

Ash turned around his hat.

"Oh, you know I have!"

Miette panicked, and she grabbed him by the arm.

"What are you doing?! This isn't a battle!"

"It's about to be!"

"We'll get disqualified!"

"Too bad! I've been itching to battle Korrina, and I know Greninja has, too."

"Ash, we're in the finals! Don't do this!"

"Hey, if you get to bend the rules, then I do, too!"

Ash wasn't listening. Neither was Korrina, despite Clemont's pleas.

"Are you certain you intend to go through with this? This is not the most opportune time for a battle! The same could be said for the location! I already advised you two before not to battle with mega evolved Pokémon on this beach!"

"Too bad! There's only one way to settle this!"

"Yes, and that's by properly finishing the game!"

"We've been trying to finish the game! This will work much better."

"I'm not so sure I agree with that!"

"Lucario has wanted to battle Greninja one-on-one since we got here. I'm not denying him the opportunity!"

Korrina touched the Key Stone on her glove, and Lucario was wrapped in a sphere of polychromatic light. When the light faded, he emerged transformed.

On the other side of the net, Greninja meditated and radiated a powerful aura. Seconds later, he was also transformed, bearing a strong resemblance to his trainer.

The crowd erupted in cheers.

"Are they going to have a real battle?!" said Bonnie.

"It looks like it!" said Serena.

"But it's against the rules!"

"When has that stopped Ash?"

To Serena, it was both unbelievable and the most obvious thing in the world. There was never any chance Ash and Korrina could have finished the game against each other. It was always going to come down to this.

"Greninja, Water Shuriken!"

Greninja struck first. Stars of water ripped the net to shreds. Lucario braced himself for the impact. Sand kicked up all around.

Ash was not going to allow time for a recovery.

"Aerial Ace!"

"Lucario, Force Palm!"

At blinding speed, Greninja leaped into the air and charged at Lucario, seeming to reappear behind him.

Lucario, however, was anticipating it. When Greninja appeared behind him, he was already turned around, one palm pushing forward. A wave of energy radiated out and sent Greninja skidding back through the sand.

"Water Pulse!"

"Aura Sphere!"

Clemont and Miette both returned their Pokémon to their balls and ran. The two attacks met head-on and exploded, scattering water droplets and sand in every direction. The crowd began to back away as they were hit by the scattered debris.

Soon, Serena and Bonnie found themselves as the only spectators left up front. Bonnie looked back at the wary crowd and shrugged. This was normal.

"Cut!"

"Power-Up Punch!"

"Dodge it!"

Lucario's glowing fist passed right through where Greninja had been a second prior. Faster than the eye could see, Greninja ducked out of the way and was behind Lucario.

"Aerial Ace!"

"Protect!"

Greninja was too fast. Lucario did not have enough time to get the shield up, and the attack struck true. Lucario weathered the blow and then shoved Greninja aside, the two of them drawing up to each other in level stances, a standoff.

"Mach Punch!"

"Water Shuriken!"

This time, it was Greninja who was too slow, if only because Korrina gave her order first. Lucario's fist was already going forward when Greninja began preparing his attack. He barely had time to parry it. He pushed off from Lucario's fist and jumped high into the air.

"Aerial Ace!"

"Force Palm!"

"Water Pulse!"

Again, Lucario was waiting for Greninja when he tried to appear behind him. This time, Greninja was ready for Lucario's counterattack. The Force Palm and the Water Pulse collided, and a spray of water showered everywhere.

"Cut!"

Using the explosion as an opening, Greninja landed a clean hit across Lucario's body.

Not a very effective one, though.

"Lucario, Swords Dance!"

"Get away, Greninja! Use Double Team!"

Lucario glowed and rotated in the air, hovering a few inches off the ground. All around, Greninja split into dozens of copies of himself, surrounding the battlefield.

Korrina and Lucario did not appear concerned.

"Aura Sphere!"

"Dodge, then Aerial Ace!"

Although Lucario fired the Aura Sphere straight ahead, it veered off to the left. The homing attack couldn't be fooled by all the after images.

The dozens of Greninja images charged at Lucario.

"Water Shuriken!"

In unison, all of them fired a star of water. One of them was swallowed by the Aura Sphere. The others passed right through Lucario, like nothing more than a shadow.

Then, dozens of Aerial Ace attacks seemed to hit Lucario at the same time. The Aura Sphere never hit its mark. It flew out to sea.

Lucario braced himself, taking a heavy blow. The after images vanished, and Greninja stood behind Lucario in a battle ready stance, his back to his opponent.

Appearing damaged, Lucario took several heavy breaths and pulled himself upright. The two stood back to back, unmoving.

"Cut!"

"Bone Rush!"

Greninja whipped around to deliver a powerful strike, but when he did, he met not his opponent's exposed back, but rather a conjured bone of energy being driven forcefully into his stomach.

Greninja doubled over and reeled backward.

"Mach Punch!"

The power Lucario gained from the Swords Dance was evident. The air rippled with heat as he surged ahead and struck Greninja with a burning fist. Greninja got no more than a single hand in the way of the blow. He went rolling across the sand.

Lucario continued to charge.

"Close Combat!"

Korrina was going in for the finishing blow. Serena could sense it. She bit her lip. There was no way Greninja could weather such a powerful attack.

"Greninja, like we practiced! Vanish!"

Lucario threw his fist forward to make a crushing blow, but when his attack should have connected, there was nothing there.

One second, Greninja was struggling to stand. The next, he was gone.

"Don't be fooled, Lucario! Aura Sphere!"

Lucario charged the ball of energy in his hands and fired.

Except it didn't go forward.

"Get down!" Korina yelled.

Lucario hit the dirt. Not a moment later, the Aura Sphere went backward, passing right through the space where his head had been.

"Water Pulse!"

From underneath Lucario's shadow, Greninja reappeared. He fired the water pulse into the Aura Sphere, breaking it apart.

"How did you do that?! Was that Shadow Sneak?"

"Beats me! Greninja kinda figured it out on his own."

"That's crazy! Lucario, Force Palm!"

Lucario radiated another wave of energy from his palm and pushed Greninja away.

Greninja spun through the air and landed in the surf, both feet in the water.

Lucario turned to face him. They stared each other down.

"Water Shuriken!"

"Force Palm! Deflect them!"

Greninja fired, over and over. One by one, Lucario pushed them all aside with Force Palm.

Silence fell, and they stared each other down again.

Ash breathed heavily. The connection was beginning to take its toll. He hunched over, with his hands on his knees.

"You know you can't keep this up forever!" said Korrina. "Something has to give!"

"You're right," said Ash. "Something does have to give, but it won't be us! We never give up until the end!"

Korrina clenched her hand into a fist and pumped her arm, displaying her Mega Ring. The Key Stone embedded in it glinted in the sunlight.

"If you want it to end, we can end it! Lucario, Focus Blast!"

"We're the ones who are gonna end it! Greninja, stay right there! Close your eyes and focus!"

Lucario was charging a massive blast between his hands. In his sights, Greninja stood at the shore, eyes shut, hands folded in concentration. A wave washed over his legs.

"It doesn't matter how strong you think you are!" said Korrina. "Greninja can't withstand an attack like this! Don't make us have to do this! Either forfeit, or have Greninja make a move!"

"We don't give up, and it's not over! Try it and see!"

Korrina grimaced.

"Lucario, fire!"

From far back on the shore, Serena could feel the heat radiating from the Focus Blast. It carved a small trench through the sand as it raced toward the water, where Greninja stood, still as a statue.

For a moment, she wondered if Greninja was actually there, if this was another trick. All the while, the waves still lapped around his legs, deflecting off his solid form.

"Now! Water Pulse!"

Serena's heart stood still. Greninja jumped from the water and hurdled over the Focus Blast. As it passed beneath him, he fired a Water Pulse into it.

There was a colossal roar of water, and the people gathered on the beach began to run and scream. From the explosion, Greninja rose atop a towering tidal wave, riding it into shore.

Lucario froze. The attack was too massive. There was nowhere to run. It was directed right at him.

An uproar of screams and panicked voices erupted in the streets. Through the commotion, Serena heard Miette's voice behind her.

"Slurpuff, Light Screen!"

Slurpuff, along with dozens of other Pokémon, were putting up shields to protect the people and the city.

Clemont ran for his life. After only a few steps, he slipped and fell. He was dragged back to his feet a second later by Korrina, pulling him by the arm.

Hawlucha pushed Serena and Bonnie back until they were inside Slurpuff's Light Screen.

"Lucario, Protect!"

Lucario braced himself for the wave, wrapping himself in a shield.

He would have been alone in the shadow of the wave if not for Ash. Some distance away, Ash sat down on the sand. He turned his back to the wave and shut his eyes. He took a slow, deep breath.

"Now, Aerial Ace!"

The crest of the wave broke. Greninja rocketed toward Lucario, and the wall of water followed his lead. Ash was swallowed whole.

Had she not been frozen with fear, Serena would have screamed.

Greninja disappeared and then rematerialized behind Lucario. As he came back into view, he assumed a calm stance of meditation, and the water devoured them both.

* * *

When the water receded, the beach was scoured, empty.

Except for Greninja and Ash.

Ash was still sitting in the same spot, his hair dripping with seawater. He had refused to move.

So had Greninja. He stood in his meditation stance, serene.

Lucario was washed up all the way to the street, where trainers were huddled and Pokémon were letting down their barriers. He was no longer in his mega evolved form.

"Lucario!"

Korrina came running, breaking through a Light Screen and falling to her knees at the side of her companion. She held a hand beneath his head.

"Speak to me!"

Lucario gagged, coughing up water. He opened his eyes.

"Are you okay?!"

Leaning forward, Lucario coughed more. He breathed deeply, trying to steady his breath. His coughing slowed.

Korrina threw her arms around him and would not let go. Clemont came running up behind her. Out of breath, he placed a hand on her back.

"Oh thank goodness you're alive!" said Korrina. "I was so worried! I've never seen an attack like that! I don't know what I would have done…"

Serena was the first to step onto the sand. She was tentative in taking the step. She had never seen anything like what Ash had just done. He continued to sit there, eyes closed, unmoving. She wasn't sure if it was safe for her to approach.

The city had narrowly averted a massive disaster. The crowd began to buzz with activity. Cameras were going crazy. People in the nearby buildings were leaning out their windows, yelling to the crowd below.

She walked up to Ash silently, on the tips of her toes. He and Greninja still seemed lost in a trance.

She stopped in front of him.

"Ash?"

At that moment, both Ash and Greninja exhaled deeply. Greninja fell to one knee, and Ash flopped backward into the sand.

"Ash!"

"Serena…"

"Are you okay? That was the craziest thing I've ever seen! How did you do that?"

Scrambling to find words, Serena pointed at the ground several times.

"How are you still here?!"

Ash opened his eyes, blinking several times. Somehow, he looked both stunned and serene at the same time.

"I didn't move."

"Yes, but how?!"

Ash laughed, exhausted.

"Looks like my training has really been paying off, huh?"

"You've been training to do this?"

"Kinda, but I made that one up on the spot."

Ash looked so satisfied with himself. With the realization dawning on her that Ash was still very much alive and well, Serena's face turned from a frown of worry to a smile of comfort.

He was still here. He was still her same old Ash.

"Ash! Are you okay? That was incredible!"

Miette came running up to them. As soon as she arrived, she knelt down beside him, one hand on his shoulder and the other on her heart.

"Please tell me you're okay!"

Serena scowled at her.

"He's fine."

Miette ignored her.

"Speak to me, Ash!"

"Hey, Miette. Did ya see that?"

"How could I not have seen it? You could have destroyed half the city! I honestly have no idea how you survived it!"

Serena had no idea, either, but she couldn't deny the truth. There hadn't been a second when she had _truly_ expected Ash to be gone. She knew him better than that.

"I dunno," said Ash. "I just did what I always do. It worked."

Miette sighed.

"You worried me - not to mention a few thousand people - half to death!"

"Did we win the tournament?"

Miette blinked a few times, as though she couldn't comprehend the question.

"The tournament? No! We lost! You attacked first! The guy running the thing declared Korrina and Clemont the winners."

"Aw, bummer."

"Did you not see that coming?"

"I kinda hoped they would think the battle was so awesome that they gave us the win instead."

Miette raised an eyebrow at him.

"That's… _adorable_ , but that's not how it works. Rules are rules. You broke them first."

Serena crossed her arms and huffed. Since when had Miette cared about rules, or even common decency?

Ash looked a bit embarrassed.

"Sorry," he said, scratching the back of his head.

"It's okay. It's been a memorable day, to say the least, hasn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

Miette took a moment to send Serena a devilish grin. Serena glared back at her. Miette waggled her eyebrows at Serena, then turned her attention back to Ash.

"We may not have won, but I still had a great time with you today. Why don't we celebrate how far we got? I have to work the rest of this weekend, but what do you say to us having dinner together sometime next week? Just the two of us."

Serena walked away. She never looked back.


	7. The Heart of the Matter

Chapter Seven - The Heart of the Matter

The next three days passed in a blur. In the aftermath of the Monego Mega Tsunami, as the media called it, Ash seemed to disappear. He took to being nocturnal. Sleeping through the day, and training through the night, Serena only saw him from her bedroom window. Alone, he trained on the beach.

Serena's schedule began to resemble his. The first night, she watched him from her window for hours. With Clemont and Korrina away on a day cruise on a yacht, their prize for winning the tournament, and Bonnie long since put to bed, there was no one to interrupt her vigil. No matter how long she watched, she expected him to return any minute, certain his body would give in to the fatigue. Instead, she fell asleep in a chair by the window long before he returned. The second and third nights were more of the same.

Serena began to wonder if she was going insane. Everyone was drifting away from her. At first, Clemont, Korrina, and Bonnie kept trying to get Serena to go out with them, but they eventually gave up trying. Aria disappeared. Not even Miette showed her face, her dinner date with Ash scheduled for the night before his battle with Siebold. Left on her own, Serena's mind began to sabotage itself with anxiety.

On the fourth night, something finally broke the monotony. Korrina came over again, this time with a giant stack of board games. With Ash alone on the beach, they were left with four players.

Clemont rambled on for some time about how four was the ideal number of players, defending his claim with some kind of statistical theory that no one else had any chance of understanding. Korrina pretended to argue with him, and Bonnie sided with Korrina, both of them claiming that it was better to have more players, no matter the number.

As Clemont's explanation became more and more heated, Korrina seemed to have more and more trouble containing her giggles.

After playing a couple of short, simple games, they set up a much more complicated game that involved invading each other's territories and rolling lots of dice. The rules were completely lost on Bonnie, and Serena felt much the same way. No matter how she tried, she could not fight the urge to get up every few minutes and go look at Ash through her bedroom window.

Surely he would be coming back any minute. He would figure it all out, and then he would return, and everything would be right again. She knew it.

The game dragged on for hours. Bonnie lost all her territories in short order. After complaining for a while that the rules were too hard to follow, she lost interest and went to watch TV in the next room over instead.

Serena found herself in agreement with Bonnie. There was just no way she could concentrate. Clemont and Korrina, meanwhile, took control of the game and became embroiled in an intense territorial dispute that looked a lot like an actual argument. When Serena finally lost all of her territories to their armies, she was more relieved than anything.

Eager to get away from the brewing war, and to look at anything other than the entangled mess the game board had become, Serena walked to the kitchen. She took a cup from one of the cabinets and filled it with water at the sink.

She took a sip of water, watching her reflection in the nearest window. She lost herself in it.

Minutes passed. The water went from cool to lukewarm. In the background, Clemont and Korrina's dispute went from heated to tepid. It sounded more and more like they weren't talking about the game at all.

When Serena realized how quiet they had become, she noticed that in the far corner of one of the kitchen windows, she could see their reflections. Stepping toward it, the picture came into clearer view.

Clemont previously had been alone on the sofa, and Korrina on the opposite side of the coffee table, kneeling on the floor. Now Korrina was with Clemont on the sofa. She was very close to him, their faces mere inches apart. They were whispering to each other.

Serena's heart thundered in her chest. She was certain she knew what was going to happen next.

And she was proven completely wrong.

Serena, as well as Clemont and Korrina, all flinched as Bonnie let out a squeal so high-pitched that it could shatter glass.

 _"Korrina! Are you going to take care of Clemont for me!?"_

Clemont and Korrina's reflections rapidly separated from one another, and a reflection of Bonnie came jumping into view. Serena backed away from the window, cringing.

Neither Clemont nor Korrina could get a word in over Bonnie's ecstatic cheers.

Serena did not stick around to hear the aftermath. Instead, she returned to her room and jammed her feet into her shoes.

It was ridiculous. Clemont had found love by accident. Ash couldn't find it even when it was right under his nose.

She was going to see him, whether he liked it or not.

* * *

When Serena reached the beach, she tore off her shoes and stalked across the sand, down to the shoreline. Ash and all of his Pokémon were sitting with their backs to the water. All of them had their eyes closed.

Behind them, the water receded, only to swell up and surge toward them again. The swelling wave crested, ready to break. Serena was certain it was going to hit them.

"Now!"

On Ash's command, they all sprung from their seated positions and jumped forward. The hungry wave found nothing as it came crashing down. They were already gone.

Though they had anticipated the wave, it was clear to Serena that Ash had not anticipated her presence. As Ash rose from the ground to one knee, he froze.

The two of them met eyes. Serena felt breathless, embarrassed. She realized that she was, and had been for several nights, intruding on something that was very private to Ash.

"Hey," said Ash.

Serena wasn't sure if she should say anything. Ash's clothes and hair were covered in sand. He looked haggard, worn down to the bone.

He looked lost in her presence.

"Hey," Serena whispered back.

There was another pause.

"What are you doing here?" said Ash.

Serena's heart flooded with fear. Her brain spun out of control. She couldn't tell him. Not here. Not now.

It wasn't the right time.

"I… wondered if I could train with you."

Serena bit her lip, her eyes going wide. She couldn't believe her own words. She was a liar and a coward, and she hated it.

She hated herself.

Ash looked a bit hesitant, but he seemed pleasantly surprised.

"Sure, if you want to," he said. "You're probably gonna get wet, though. Fair warning."

"That's okay."

"In that case, come with me."

Ash beckoned her, and she followed him down to where the water met the sand. Serena's feet sank into the soft ground as she stood in the surf. A small wave rushed toward them, and it washed over her ankles. The water was cool and gentle.

"What do we do?" asked Serena.

"We're gonna wait for the big one, and then we're gonna outrun it."

Serena looked down at the mushy, wet sand.

"So, do we sit down?" she said.

"Yep! Once this next little wave passes."

A slightly larger wave than the last washed over Serena's shins, creeping up toward her knees.

"I told you, you're gonna get wet," said Ash.

When the wave receded, he and all his Pokémon sat down on the spot, with their backs to the sea.

Unsure, Serena followed, plopping down in the wet sand next to Ash. Instantly, her pajama shorts were soaked through. She squirmed.

"Alright, now close your eyes. Be ready to move."

Serena shut her eyes. She tried her best to listen, just as Ash and his Pokémon were. She heard nothing but the endless, inscrutable roar of the sea.

"Not this one," said Ash. "This one's small."

A tiny yelp of surprise escaped Serena's mouth as a rush of water swept over her folded legs. Even though the wave only came about a third of the way up her back, she found it hard to remain still. It felt like the wave was first going to throw her forward, then drag her back into the sea.

She opened one eye. She had moved. An imprint in the sand marked her original resting spot. The wave had pulled her. It had almost taken her.

For a moment, she froze, wondering whether or not she was supposed to return to her original position.

Before she could act, the sea roared again.

"Now!"

Serena gasped. It was too late. She was too close to have any chance of escape. Try as she did, her hands and feet sank into the wet sand as she attempted to scramble away.

She saw Ash and all the others already at a safe distance. Before she could make another sound, a wall of water rammed into her back and threw her face-first onto the sand.

The world disappeared. The sea claimed her. With her eyes firmly shut, Serena felt the beach receding beneath her. She tried to dig both of her hands into the sand. She was left with nothing but handfuls of it as she was pulled away.

The useless handfuls of sand dispersed in the water, slipping through her fingers as her hold on reality vanished. She felt her body being rolled over and over again in the roiling surf, losing all sense of direction.

And then, she felt a force somehow even greater than the sea. Something else claimed her. Something else was taking her.

It took her above the water.

Serena gasped for air, and her eyes flew open. She was in Greninja's arms, soaring through the air.

In a single, deft motion, Greninja landed and set her down on solid ground.

Ash and the others came running.

"Serena!"

Serena rose to her feet, dripping wet and covered in sand. She tried to shake it all off. It was no use.

"Are you okay?" asked Ash.

He stopped only a few feet away. Serena couldn't look at him. She was a disaster. She had no business being here.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"Sorry?"

"I shouldn't have come here."

She tried to rub all the caked sand off of her arms. It was futile. Abandoning the idea, she wrapped her arms tightly around herself.

Ash watched her, silent.

"I'm sorry I interrupted your training," said Serena. "I know it's important to you."

She shifted her eyes, looking at Ash. The instant her eyes met his, he looked away.

Revulsion welled up inside her. Here she was, in the middle of the night, dirty, drenched from head to toe, trying to get through to him.

And he wouldn't say anything.

"I should go."

At that, Serena turned and left.

* * *

Back at the penthouse, Serena threw her sodden pajamas into her bathroom sink. She scrubbed herself furiously in the shower, sand running down her legs and into the drain.

She wrapped herself tightly in a towel and wrapped her wet hair in another. Seething, she shut the blinds and lay down in her bed, trying to force herself to sleep.

It didn't work.

After hours of tossing and turning, Serena ripped the pillows and sheets from her bed and carried them out into the hall. She formed them into a makeshift bed, right in front of Ash's room. She propped herself up with the pillows, leaning against the door.

There was no way he could come back without talking to her. The silence was going to end.

Somehow, sleep came to her.

The next thing she was aware of was the sensation of a lot of motion around her, and of being moved.

She opened her eyes and found Hawlucha and Pikachu keeping her propped up by the shoulders as Ash tried to open the door and step over her.

"Ash!"

"Serena!"

Serena scrambled to free herself from Hawlucha's grip. Pikachu came flying off, tumbling to the ground as she flailed her arms. She wriggled her way out of the sheets, standing up. Holding up the towel wrapped around her with one hand, she spread her other arm wide, blocking Ash's way.

"You're not going to bed without talking to me. Not tonight."

Ash stared back at her like he couldn't believe his eyes.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked.

"Waiting for you!"

Ash gestured to the mess of sheets and pillows in front of his door.

"Why?"

"Because I can't stop thinking about you! I'm worried sick about you! I'm worried sick about _us!_ That's why!"

Serena's voice echoed through the hall. When she realized how loud she had been, she covered her mouth with her spare hand.

"I'm fine, I promise," said Ash.

Serena glared at him. It was a feeble attempt to soothe her, at best.

"No, you're not!" she said in a fierce whisper. "You've never been like this before! You've never gone this long without speaking to me, in all the time we've traveled together, and I demand to know why! I can't stand this silence anymore!"

Ash opened his mouth, but no words came out. Lost, he looked around, grasping the back of his neck.

"Say something!" said Serena. "Anything! Anything to let me know you're still in there! I'm coming apart at the seams from this! Tell me what's going on with you! _Tell me!_ "

"I'm just focused on my battle with Siebold right now. Once it's over, everything will be back to normal."

"That's our last day here! I can't wait that long!"

Ash sighed. He shook his head.

"I… don't know what to do."

"I don't either! That's why I'm out here like this in the middle of the night!

Ash's eyes moved from Serena's face to the towel she was wearing. When he looked up again, his mouth was open, but he didn't speak.

"My last memories of you can't be like this, Ash!"

Serena had never seen Ash look so ashamed.

"I can't say goodbye to you like this!" Serena continued. "After everything we've been through together, I can't let you leave me like this! I can't _lose_ you like this!"

"I don't want that, either."

"Then _do_ something about this! Say something! Tell me what's going on! I know you've said goodbyes to friends before. They can't all have been like this!"

"None of them were."

"Then why are you acting like this! Why are you pulling away from me?"

"It was never like this before."

"Like what?"

Ash pulled Hawlucha's Poké Ball from his belt and returned him to it.

"Goodnight, Serena."

Before she could protest, Ash ducked past her and was through the door to his room. Serena was only able to grab a fistful of his shirt before he was pushing the door closed on her.

"Come back!"

Still pushing the door from the far side, Ash pried Serena's fingers from his shirt. The door slammed shut on her. The last thing Serena saw was a glimpse of Pikachu's forlorn eyes.

The lock turned.

Serena whimpered.

"Come back…"

Grabbing her hair, she tried to choke back the coming wave of sobs.

She failed.

Ash did not come back. Embarrassed, defeated, and hopeless, Serena gathered up the pillows and sheets in front of his door. There was nothing else to do. Tears blurring her vision, her nose running as if she were ill, she dragged the mess back into her room and shut the door.

She felt more than rejection. She felt loss.

It wasn't mere sadness. It was mourning. It wasn't just her dreams of being his lover that were coming to an end. Their friendship was, too.

She threw everything back onto her bed, the pillows bouncing off the wall behind the headboard. She collapsed onto the bed and buried herself beneath everything, crying into the sheets with an intensity she hadn't known in years.

She hoped Ash could hear everything.

* * *

When the next morning came, Serena slept well past the sunrise, into the afternoon. She felt numb. The hot water of the shower felt like nothing. She stood under the flow of water and stared ahead at the tile on the walls, vacant. Life as she knew it was gone.

In a few more days, she would be back to tending Rhyhorn. Or, if her mother allowed it, she would be all on her own, journeying somewhere else. She didn't know which prospect was worse.

Either way, it was either boredom or solitude which awaited her. Not love.

While she dressed, it took her several minutes to realize she was trying to put the wrong shoe on each foot. Sylveon ran her feelers over her almost desperately, to no avail. Outside her window, it was a beautiful day, the perfect weather for the world to mock what was going on inside her heart.

The first thing she felt all day was a mild surprise. When she opened her door to leave, she found a note taped to it, along with an envelope.

 _"This was at the reception desk for you this morning. I thought I would leave it here for you, for your convenience." - Clemont_

The envelope was addressed to her, _Serena_ written in cursive on the front. Curious, she opened it. There was a letter inside.

 _"Serena,_

 _I want to apologize to you. I am sorry for my behavior at the volleyball tournament, and my sudden, unexplained departure. I wish I had not left. I regret my actions that day. I became far too emotional at a terrible time, and I took it out on you. What I did was completely unfair to you. I know the tournament meant a lot to you. I hope you can forgive me._

 _If you feel that you can forgive me, please meet me on the waterfront tonight. I look forward to seeing you there._

 _If I don't see you there, I understand._

 _-A."_

With nothing else to do, and only a few hours until nightfall, Serena went to the familiar bench and waited. Time both stood still and flew past. Soon, it was dark, and Aria was there.

Once again, she was dressed as Ariana. She sat down on the bench without a grand introduction, waiting a few moments before she spoke. She looked unsure of herself.

"You came," she said.

"I did."

A gust of wind rushed onshore. Both of them had to pause to hold onto their hats. They shared a small laugh.

"I missed you," said Aria.

"I missed you, too."

"I'm sorry I left. I shouldn't have. I needed some time to myself, and I didn't know what else to do."

"I forgive you."

Aria looked like there was more she wanted to say, but she settled with a quiet, content smile.

"How have you been?" she asked.

"Awful."

"Your eyes… They look so tired."

"That's because I _am_ tired. I shouldn't be, though. I slept almost all day."

"What happened?"

"Everything is ruined. Ash is going on a date with Miette tomorrow night. Then, he battles Siebold, we leave, and it's all over. He won't even talk to me."

Aria smiled, bittersweet.

"I know you said before that you couldn't do it, but maybe it really is time to let it all go."

Serena pulled a loose strand of her hair behind her ear, and she rested her head in her hand. She sighed as she looked out to sea.

"You don't have to suffer any more if you don't want to," said Aria. "It's okay to admit it's over."

Serena glanced at Aria.

"It's not _really_ over. Not yet. I know how silly that sounds. I know you're right. I just need to do this my own way, you know?"

Aria nodded.

"I know you do. Why not try to make the most of your last few days here, though? Do something good for yourself!"

"What do you mean?"

"Put yourself first. Take care of yourself. Do things that _you_ enjoy."

Joy felt like a foreign concept to Serena. It had felt that way for a while.

"I'm not sure I know what to do."

Aria's typical, enigmatic smile returned.

"I have some ideas."

"You do?"

Aria nodded.

"Meet me in the lobby of the hotel tomorrow morning. There's a spa. I'll schedule us a day there!"

"You can do that? Won't you get caught?"

Aria winked at Serena.

"I'm sure I'll be fine."

* * *

The next morning, true to her word, Aria was waiting in the lobby of the hotel.

Aria assured Serena that her voucher would cover the costs. The only question was getting an appointment, but thanks to whatever strings Aria pulled, that wasn't a problem. Within twenty minutes, Serena found herself in a world she had never before experienced.

After changing into the robes the spa issued them, they were led to massage tables. Underneath a warm towel, Serena discovered bliss. Quiet, soothing ambient music played somewhere in the distance of the room. It was dark, but the room glowed with a warm, golden light. As the masseuse worked the oil into Serena's shoulders, she could feel the tension draining from her body. Aches were expelled from areas of her body she never before realized were in pain. The wear of thousands of miles was relieved from her feet. Her stiff neck was freed from its stranglehold. Her joints moved freely again.

She felt like she could float, almost as if she hovered to her manicure and pedicure. She lingered in the sauna until the towel wrapped around her was drenched. Months, if not years, of stress rose to the surface and dripped away. She lounged in a warm bath with a mixture of heavenly salts that smelled of vanilla and lavender.

When they left several hours later, Serena was aglow. She was in ecstasy. Monego City had never seemed brighter.

"Where are we going now?" she asked as Aria led the way.

Aria smiled back at her.

"We're going back to where you were when I first encountered you here. We have some unfinished business there."

"You mean we're going shopping?"

"Yes, we are! You wanted to make a change, didn't you?"

Serena's head swam with ideas.

"Yes! Are you going to help me again?"

"I will, if that's what you would like."

"Yes!"

Once again, Serena found herself in a clothing store with the most fashionable person in Kalos. The two of them returned to the rack where Aria had selected several skirts for her. Aria began sifting through the rack again.

"Were there any of these in particular that you liked?"

Serena reached for the ribbon around her neck. There was one she remembered above all the others.

"The blue one!"

Aria held up the blue skirt. Her eyes shifted between the skirt and the ribbon.

"Same color as that ribbon of yours. Would you like to try on some more things that work with this color?"

"Definitely!"

A few minutes later, Serena was in the fitting room again. A massive pile of garments laid stacked by the mirror. Every so often, Aria would crack open the door and pass her something new. The stack grew faster than she could try things on.

Much like their previous shopping trip, Serena felt like Aria could see something she couldn't. Even when she liked whatever garment she was wearing, Aria would immediately identify something wrong with it.

 _Too wide in the shoulders. Too loose in the back. The color is off. It doesn't fit your profile. Doesn't work with your hair. Doesn't bring out your eyes._

It went on and on. After more than twenty rejections, Serena spoke up.

"What am I missing?"

Aria was behind Serena, one hand on her shoulder and the other in the middle of her back, examining the fabric of the shirt she was trying on. Aria looked up, and she met Serena's eyes in the mirror. Her lips sealed, she shook her head.

"Now isn't the time."

"I don't mean _that_. I mean, what am I missing about all _this."_

Serena pointed at the growing stack of rejected garments.

"What are you seeing that I'm not?" she asked.

Aria let her hands down from Serena's back and instead placed them on her own hips. Standing aside from Serena, she continued to hold her gaze in the mirror.

"You have a fantastic figure. Do you realize that? People in the fashion industry would dream of working with someone like you."

Serena's eyes traced Aria's outline in the mirror. The mere placement of Aria's hands on her hips demonstrated everything that she felt was inadequate about herself.

"What figure? I'm all skin and bones! I don't have-"

Serena mimed the shape of an hourglass with her hands.

"...curves,' she continued. "Not like you, or Miette. Or anyone attractive."

Aria's mouth parted long before she spoke.

"You just don't know how to bring them out, that's all."

"I don't know how to bring them out because they're _not there_."

"They _are_ there. You have no idea what you have. If you wanted to, you could do runways."

Serena scoffed.

"I'm serious!" said Aria. "Look."

Aria pinched the fabric of Serena's shirt on both sides of her waist and pulled them taut around her back. Clamping those two bits of fabric together with one hand, she pinched another area behind her neck and tugged down on it.

"All we have to do is define the waist a bit better, and make this top seem less like it's hanging from your shoulders, more like it's pulling you up. That, and the skirt needs to come up just a bit."

With Aria pinning the shirt in place, Serena reached for the waistband of the skirt and tugged it upward, just enough to meet the new bottom line of the shirt. There was space inside where there had been none before. She pulled it firmly around her front and folded over the excess fabric, pinching it shut like Aria had.

She saw herself caught between old and new - the shape of her old outfit, the airiness of her new one, and the color of Ash's ribbon.

Aria's eyes traced every inch of her.

"Your stockings. Black doesn't go well with this. You should take them off."

"But I like them!"

"Just give it a try."

Both of them releasing the fabric they held, Serena slipped her hands underneath the stockings and slid them off. The pale form of her bare legs reflected back at her in the mirror. Over her shoulder, she could see Aria deep in thought, a hand on her chin.

"That's more like it," said Aria. "The blue really brings out your skin tone, and it matches your eyes. Let's try this top in a slightly tighter fit. Same for the skirt. And maybe try the top in white..."

Aria left the fitting room.

Serena flicked the fabric of the skirt and watched it settle against her legs.

Doing the best she could with only two hands, she reached behind her back and tried to pull both the top and the skirt back into position. She could only approximate the look at best, but she could see what Aria saw. Something about it made her look taller, more graceful, more womanly.

She let the fabric fall loose again. Her reflection in the mirror was different today. The face she saw wasn't the one she was used to seeing. The person she saw was in some ways familiar, but in other ways, a stranger. The contours and features were the same, but the face itself told a story of struggles and lessons learned.

Her skin still glowed from the spa. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. As the air filled her lungs, she felt her shoulders being pulled upward, her spirits lifting with them.

Everything was ruined, and yet, everything was okay. Life was going to continue, somehow. The thought of life after Ash was unimaginable, yet here she was, moving on.

Her heart raced at the thought of Aria. Was this the beginning of a new friendship? Would Aria fill the empty space in her life when Ash left? Would they continue to compete against each other as friends, pushing each other to be better? Would Aria want that?

She wondered if any of it was possible. With the life that Aria led, could they have the same kind of friendship she had with Ash, Clemont, and Bonnie? What if Aria could leave the spotlight? Was that even possible? Would she even want that?

What _did_ Aria want, anyway?

Serena looked at her regular outfit, dangling from a hanger beside the mirror. The ribbon around the collar seemed to glare back at her, boring a hole right through her soul with guilt. That ribbon was Ash, with her always. It knew her. It knew she was giving up.

She held the wretched, cherished thing between her fingers. It was worn from how often she had sought its comfort. It was always there. It was there for her now. Despite everything, the sensation of it on her fingertips still afforded her some measure of peace. She couldn't ignore her feelings for Ash. They were still there. She could never simply discard them.

Delicately, she untied the ribbon and removed it from the collar. She clamped it in her teeth for a few moments while she gathered her hair in one hand, and then secured a loop of the ribbon around it with the other. Her hair pulled back, she tied it in place with a bow.

She loved it. The ribbon, like everything else about this new ensemble, was pulling her up.

Aria opened the door again, and she found Serena beaming in the mirror.

"Isn't it great?" Serena asked as soon as Aria entered.

"It is! I like what it does for your face. It shows off all your best features."

"Thanks! It… means a lot to me."

Serena reached for the ribbon and caressed it. It felt strange for it to be somewhere other than her collar. It felt freeing.

Aria raised an eyebrow while Serena looked adoringly at the ribbon in the mirror.

"The ribbon, you mean?" said Aria.

"Yes. I always keep it with me. Ash gave it to me."

"Huh. Well, give these a try. Let me know when you're done."

Aria handed Serena similar-looking garments in slightly smaller sizes. She stepped out of the room for Serena to change.

A few minutes later, Serena saw herself transformed. She stepped out of the fitting room and found Aria waiting for her outside. Immediately, Aria's face lit up with excitement.

"Wow!"

Serena giggled.

"I know, right?!"

Aria winked at her.

"See, I really do know my stuff, don't I?"

"You really do!"

Aria's smile turned from one that covered her whole face to one that looked caught halfway between happiness and sadness.

"You look amazing," said Aria.

"I couldn't have done it without you!"

"Do you want to keep these clothes?"

"I- Well, yes, but there's no way I can afford them. The voucher doesn't cover this place."

Serena looked down at herself. As much as she loved what she saw, she could never keep it. It was too much.

"You don't need to worry about the price," said Aria. "I've got that covered."

Serena gasped.

"You mean-"

"Consider it a gift."

"Thank you!"

Serena threw her arms around Aria. For a second, Aria hesitated to return the hug. When she did return it, she spoke.

"Thank _you_. For all the kindness and acceptance you've shown me, even when I've been so weird about it."

"You're not weird about it. You're just you."

Aria ended the hug. Her hands on Serena's arms, she pushed away, holding her at arm's-length.

"I wish you were right about that."

Serena didn't understand.

"What do you mean?" she said. "You've been amazing to me. You've done so much for me."

"You deserve it."

"No, I don't."

"Whether or not you think you do, you do."

 _"You're_ the one who's done all this for me, for nothing in return," said Serena. "I don't know what I can do to thank you."

Aria appeared to bite her tongue before she replied.

"You've done more for me than you realize."

There was silence between them for a moment. Aria motioned toward the counter at the front of the store.

"Come on. Let's get your stuff and get you checked out."

Serena gathered her regular outfit and folded it up, packing it into her bag.

At the front counter, Aria had already settled the bill when she arrived.

"What next?" Serena asked as they left the store.

The sun was nearing the horizon in the west, preparing to slide down beneath the sea for another night. Monego City was cast in the golden-orange light of approaching dusk.

"It's a beautiful evening," said Aria. "Care for a stroll?"

Serena could see no reason to refuse.

"Sure!"

There was a winding alley of cobblestone, leading up toward the mountainside. Ivy covered the clay walls of the aged buildings lining the path. Aria led Serena slowly toward the top, the sea coming into clearer and clearer view as they climbed.

Serena kept looking over her shoulder, back the way they came. The yachts were coming into the harbor for the evening. The waterfront was illuminated, lights coming on as the night approached.

Serena paused and turned around. She stopped, taking a moment to take it all in. Aria was several steps ahead when she noticed.

"Need a breather?" Aria asked.

"No, it's not that," said Serena.

Aria came walking back toward her.

"What is it, then?"

"This city really is beautiful. Every time I notice it, it's like I've never seen it before."

Aria folded her arms and joined Serena, just watching.

"I've spent so much time here, it's like I don't see it anymore."

"I wish you could," said Serena. "You're meant to be here. I'm not."

"You are more deserving of all the beauty here than anyone else in this city."

"Aria, I-"

Serena clapped her hands over her mouth, realizing that once again, she had said the name.

For once, Aria didn't seem bothered.

"I don't know what to say," said Serena, the words muffled behind her hands.

"You don't have to say anything."

Serena looked down at her feet. What could she say? Aria was giving her everything - all of the validation, all of the emotional openness she had ever needed.

Was this her future? Was there a future with Aria she could never have with anyone else?

Aria turned around and continued up the hill. Serena followed again. She was beyond words, lost in admiration. Aria had everything, and she was giving of it so freely. She was guarded, although not without reason. And yet, she was letting her guard down, slowly.

For her.

Serena's heart was racing. It was something more than the exertion from climbing the hill. She felt an excitement that defied description, something she couldn't understand.

For a while, the two of them continued in silence, turning and then continuing along one of the high avenues that ran parallel to the mountainside. Serena couldn't speak. It was not for lack of words, but for lack of _quality_ of words. What she wanted to say with her words was too much for her mind to form into a coherent thought.

And then, they stopped.

Serena looked across the street. She realized where they were.

The façade of _Café des Artistes_ loomed over her from across the street.

She looked at Aria. She couldn't read anything from her face. Her expression conveyed both too much and too little.

"What are we doing here?"

Serena couldn't bear to ask the question. She knew what was going on inside the café at this very moment. This was the night. Ash was in there with Miette. This was their date.

Aria said nothing. She only took Serena by the wrist and guided her across the street. They stopped in front of the door.

"Why?"

It was the only word Serena could force out of her mouth.

Aria wasn't looking her in the eye. She swallowed before she spoke.

"When you go inside, you'll know."

Aria opened the door. She gestured for Serena to enter.

Serena stared at her. Aria's eyes were downcast, looking away, but her gaze lingered long enough for Aria to meet her eyes again.

"You already have everything you need."

Again, Aria motioned for Serena to enter.

Serena stepped inside. Aria did not go with her. The door closed behind Serena, separating the two of them.

Aria lingered for only a moment before she turned away and left. Serena stood alone.

Ahead of her, the hostess stood in her usual spot.

"Meeting someone, dear?" she asked, uninterested, not looking up from the papers atop her desk.

Serena froze, long enough for the hostess to stop scribbling and tuck her pen behind her ear, looking up at her.

"Um… yes?" said Serena.

"Go right on through, then."

The hostess pulled the pen back out from her ear and began scribbling some more.

Cautious, Serena tiptoed forward, poking her head around the corner next to the hostess' desk. The dining room was full, as it always was. The same jazz trio from before was playing by the bar. Amidst the sea of people, she saw dozens upon dozens of unfamiliar faces.

And in the rear, at a table for two by a window, Ash sat alone.

Serena weaved her way through the crowded room, feeling like she was moving in slow motion. There was no sign of Miette, not even a bag or a coat left at the table.

Ash was completely alone. Not even Pikachu was with him. He sat with an elbow on the table, his chin in his hand, staring out the window. Candlelight made his pensive shadow dance on the wall.

Serena approached him, standing on the empty side of the table. Ash's reverie broke, and his eyes snapped to her. He scrambled to sit upright.

"Serena!"

"...Ash."

They stared at each other, not speaking. Their eyes were doing the talking. There was too much confusion and apprehension for words.

A waiter came to the table.

"Ah, madame, good to see you could join us tonight. Please, allow me to show you to your seat."

The waiter pulled out the empty chair and ushered Serena into it. Seeing no other option but to play along, she sat down. Wordless, she stared at Ash, and Ash stared back. The waiter placed a menu in Serena's hands.

"I shall return in a few minutes to take your orders. If you have any questions about the menu in the meantime, please, do not hesitate."

The waiter bowed and stepped away. Still holding the menu, Serena looked at Ash, her mouth open.

"Where's Miette?" she asked.

"I don't know. I've been waiting forever. She was supposed to be here an hour ago."

Serena's mind was racing. How did Aria know to bring her here? What happened?

"Did she stand you up?"

"I don't think so. She was the one who wanted to do this."

"Did you not?"

"Well, you know me. I never say no to food."

Ash broke eye contact and stared out the window again. It was becoming dark enough that his reflection was visible in the glass. Serena met his eyes there instead. When Ash noticed, he spoke again.

"What are you doing here?" he said.

"I wish I knew."

"Huh?"

"I know it sounds crazy, but I didn't end up here on purpose."

"What?"

"It's a long story."

Ash didn't respond for a while. His eyes were darting about, examining her.

"I didn't recognize you at first when you came in."

Serena's breath halted. She bit her lip.

"Do you like it?" she asked. Her eyes looked upward as if to look at the ribbon. Ash's eyes followed hers.

"I do."

There was awe in Ash's eyes. Serena allowed a trace of a smile to form on her face.

"I'm glad. I really like it, too."

"What happened today, anyway?" Ash asked.

"What do you mean?"

"How did you end up here? How did you do-"

Ash mimed tying up his own hair.

 _"This."_

Serena wasn't sure where to start.

"It was… Ariana. We went to the spa together. I really needed it. It was wonderful. It felt _so_ good. After that, we went shopping together. She helped me pick out some new clothes. Then, we went for a walk, and we ended up here. She told me to go inside."

"She told you to do this?"

"Yes. I know how weird that is, but I wasn't paying attention to where we were going, and we just ended up here. I couldn't really say no, after everything she did for me. She bought me these clothes."

"She did?"

"Yes. She booked our spa visit, too. She did all of it…"

Serena looked out the window again. The last sliver of the sun was disappearing beneath the sea.

"...for me."

Ash looked disappointed, almost lost.

"She's been a good friend to you, hasn't she?"

Serena sighed. She folded her hands in her lap.

"Yes, she really has."

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

"I haven't been a good friend. Not on this vacation, anyway."

"It's-"

Ash waved a hand, dismissive.

"Don't try to tell me I have been, I know it's not true."

Serena slammed her hands on the table.

"It's about time you apologized!"

Ash froze. He didn't even blink.

"You're absolutely right," Serena continued in a level, dangerous tone. "You have not been a good friend while we've been here. I'm not ready to forgive you, either. I'm furious with you, Ash."

"I'm sorry."

"That's a good start."

"I want to do better."

"That's also good."

"But I don't know what to do."

"You never do."

Ash bowed his head and looked down at his hands on the table.

"I feel like I've messed something up worse than I've ever messed anything up before."

"You may have."

Ash looked up at Serena, his eyes pleading with her.

"What can I do?"

"Don't give up. It's not over yet. It's close, though. It's so close."

"I don't want it to be over."

"Me neither."

"I mean it."

"I mean it, too."

"I _really_ mean it," Ash said, his hands on the table forming into fists. "I've learned something while we've been here."

"What is it?"

"I know why I couldn't bring myself to finish off Alain's Charizard. I know why I chose the wrong move."

Ash slid his fists off the table, and they clapped into his lap. He then reached both hands up to the back of his neck, linking his fingers and placing his elbows on the table. He exhaled.

When he spoke again, his voice was quiet, serious. Not at all like Ash.

"I couldn't bring myself to do it because I didn't want this journey to end."

The waiter appeared at their table again.

"Are you ready to order?"

Since Ash had been waiting an hour, he was more than ready. Serena abandoned all pretense of reading the menu and ordered the exact same dish as their previous dinner there.

When the waiter was out of earshot, Ash continued.

"I couldn't bring myself to end it. If I beat Alain, everything would have changed."

"Isn't that what you want? Isn't that the whole point? You keep challenging leagues so you can become a champion!"

Ash looked rather embarrassed.

"I wouldn't know what to do if I actually won."

"Why would that stop you? You never worry about things like that! Why start now?"

"I don't want this journey to end."

"Your journey?"

 _"Our_ journey."

Serena's heart rate spiked.

"Ash, I-"

"You're right. I've said goodbye to a lot of people on my journey. It was never as hard as this."

Serena clung to his words, desperate for more.

"But why?" she asked.

"It's different this time. I know Pikachu would be mad at me if he heard this, but-"

Ash paused and ran a hand through his hair.

"You're my best friend. No one has ever cared as much about me as you do. I don't want to lose that."

Serena's heart was somehow both racing and frozen at the same time. It was the perfect Ash response, revealing so much of the depth of his feelings without ever telling her what she wanted to hear.

But it was too soon to give up.

"You're my best friend, too, you know," she said.

Serena felt dirty saying those words. Just as Pikachu would have been, she was certain Braixen would have been offended. But more than that, her thoughts lingered on Aria, whatever she truly was to her.

"You're more than just my best friend, though," Serena continued. "You're my hero. You've saved me, in more ways than you know. You're the light of my life, Ash! Do you know that?"

Ash shrugged.

"I guess I do now."

"It's my own fault that you didn't know sooner! My heart has been with you in ways I'm not sure you understand, and for longer than you could believe."

She reached across the table for his hand, covering it with hers.

He did not pull away.

"I don't want our journey to end, either," she said.

"Serena-"

"I want to keep traveling with you."

"I can't get in the way of your dreams."

"You wouldn't."

"But you can only become the Kalos Queen here in Kalos."

Serena tightened her lips and looked away. She had learned so much about being the Kalos Queen.

"I'm not sure that becoming the Kalos Queen is what I want."

"What? You can't be serious! You got so close!"

"I did, but I didn't really. Aria was always going to win. She's so much more popular than me. I would have to do so much and change so many things about myself just to get a little bit closer to beating her."

"You made it to the final round! You don't need to change anything!"

"And that's the thing, Ash. I'm not sure I want to."

"To what?"

"Change," said Serena. "And to continue performing, maybe."

"Are you giving up?"

Ash's eyes were stunned, desperate, like he couldn't recognize Serena.

Serena gave him a firm nod.

"It's okay to give up. It's the end."

"But-"

Ash's shoulders slumped. He sank a bit in his seat.

"I just don't understand," he said. "You always rise to the challenge, even when you lose! I've never known anyone more determined than you!"

Serena looked at Ash like he was crazy.

"I get that from you! Can you not see that?"

"I think there's a lot of things I can't see."

Serena rolled her eyes.

"You have _no_ idea."

Ash rubbed his forehead. He went quiet, looking out the window again.

"You're an inspiration to me," said Serena. "I'm serious about that. You have inspired me to be better. Not just at showcases. You've inspired me to be better at _everything_. You have made me a better person. You have given me, and _still_ give me, the inspiration I need to be all that I can be."

Serena grabbed both of his hands.

"When you see me rising to meet a challenge, I see you lifting me on your shoulders, giving me the strength I need to get back on my feet. When you see me refusing to give up before the end, I see you running next to me, encouraging me to make it to the finish line."

Serena squeezed Ash's hands.

"All these things you think are incredible about me are things I got from you. You gave me all of them, Ash. You showed me how to do it."

Ash stared at their joined hands. After a long moment of silence, he squeezed back.

"I don't know what to say," said Ash.

"I do," said Serena, "but this isn't the right place."

"Where is the right place?"

"I'm not sure, but it's not here. It's not the right time, either."

"When will that be?"

A voice in Serena's head told her the obvious answer - _never._ Her actual voice told Ash something different.

"Tomorrow night, after your battle with Siebold. It's our last night here, and I want to spend it with you. Just you."

"I can do that."

Serena knew what she had to do. She knew it was her last hope.

"There's a bonfire on the beach tomorrow night. If you can promise not to wash it away with another tidal wave, will you go with me?"

Ash smiled.

"I'd like that."

Serena smiled as well.

"Me too."

For a moment, there was an excited silence between them. Serena broke it.

"So, is that a yes?" she asked. She had to be sure.

"Yes, definitely!"

"Good!"

"So, what do we, uh, _do_ at the bonfire? It's not another tournament, is it?"

"Oh, no, not at all. We just sit and watch. We enjoy the night. I want to enjoy it with you."

"I like the sound of that."

"And, if you want to, it's a tradition to write down everything that has been worrying you and then toss the paper into the flames. It's supposed to be a way of letting go, moving on."

"Hmm."

"It's a lot to think about, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

Yet again, Ash stared out the window. This time, Serena stared with him. What did he see? What was going on in his mind?

What was his perspective?

"What are you thinking about?" Serena asked.

"What to write on the paper I throw into the fire."

"Don't tell me! It's supposed to be a secret!"

"I couldn't tell you if I wanted to. I don't know what to write."

"Is it really so complicated?"

"It's so _much._ "

"Oh."

Serena pondered. For as well as she knew Ash, there was so much about him that was still a mystery. What was _really_ going on in his head?

For the first time, she knew with certainty there was something going on in there, and she was determined to find out what.

"Did you really choose to lose the Kalos League because of me?"

Ash turned his head back to face her.

"Yeah, I did."

The thought of it made Serena feel both warm inside and like she had been punched in the stomach.

"That's the sweetest and the stupidest thing anyone has ever done for me."

"It wasn't the best idea I've ever had."

"Maybe it was. We don't know yet."

"When I did it-"

Ash halted, scratching himself uncomfortably. He looked like he was nervous to continue.

"...I imagined us going on another journey together. I don't know where. I didn't think that far ahead."

Serena smirked.

"You never do."

Ash shrugged.

"I guess not. But, I can't ask you to follow me forever. It's not fair to you. You have dreams, too."

Serena realized she was on the edge of her seat. She had no idea how long she had been there. The whole time, most likely.

Ash took a deep breath before he continued.

"So, I want to know… Can I come with you?"

Serena's eyes shot open wide.

"Are you serious?!" she said. "I can't- You can't- I don't even have any real plans!"

"I know it sounds crazy."

"It _is_ crazy, Ash! You have dreams! Real dreams that you're so close to achieving! I can't get in the way of that!"

"It's just like you said, it's my own choice to make."

"Why would you make that choice for me?"

"Because I want to be with you."

"Ash…"

"It's true."

"Ash!"

"I do."

"Do you understand what you're saying?"

"I hope so."

"I'm not sure you do."

Serena grimaced. She looked away.

"I'm not sure you do understand," she said, "and it hurts."

Ash reached for her hand. Startled as she was to feel his touch, when he squeezed it, she did not squeeze back.

"I'm sorry I hurt you."

Serena looked at him again.

"I'm sorry, too," she said. "I really, really am. There is _so_ much I need to tell you, but it isn't the right time, and it's never been the right time, and that's not fair to you. You don't know it, but I've been doing wrong by you for so long, holding back. It was just never the right time."

"Will tomorrow night be the right time?"

"It has to be."

At that moment, their food arrived. Their hands parted to make way for the plates.

To Serena's surprise, Ash did not instantly dig in. She felt his eyes lingering on her, noticing her in a way she had never seen him notice her before.

Fork in hand, Serena paused, hovering over her plate.

After a moment, Ash spoke.

"Is something wrong?" he said.

Serena locked eyes with him. It was the dumbest question she had ever heard. She tried as hard as she could to set down her fork gently, but it still clattered on the rim of her plate. Her hands were shaking too much.

Through gritted teeth, she replied.

"Why do you keep saying yes to Miette?"

Ash drew breath, then looked away.

Serena's hands inched forward across the table, grabbing fistfuls of tablecloth.

"Do you like her?" she said, her voice no more than a shaky whisper.

"I-"

"Because if you do, I understand. I won't get in your way."

Serena paused. Her lips tight, she looked away from him. She swallowed, hard.

"I just… want to finally know," she said.

"I don't like her at all," said Ash.

Serena met his eyes again. For as much relief as his words should have provided her, she felt none of it. She felt rage creeping to the surface instead.

"Then why do you keep saying yes?! Why do you keep accepting all of her invitations?"

"Because-"

Ash screwed up his face. He looked out the window again.

Serena waited for him to speak again. She couldn't breathe.

"Because she can't hurt me," said Ash. "I don't care about her."

Serena's jaw dropped while Ash's face turned red.

"I'm sorry I hurt you," said Ash.

Serena couldn't speak. Her mind raced, trying in vain to connect all the dots.

Ash bashfully scratched beneath his nose.

"Can we be friends again?" he asked.

Serena bit her lip, if only to contain the smile forming on her face.

"If we can leave open other possibilities, then yes, we can."

Ash looked either frightened or excited by the idea. Possibly both.

"Okay."

* * *

For all the drama which had unfolded at their table, once they finished their meal, the mood lightened. The rest of their dinner passed in the comfortable peace of being with an old friend, the two of them chatting as though nothing had ever happened to put a rift between them.

After dinner, they took a casual stroll back down to the seaside. At the beach, they parted ways, Serena making Ash promise her he wouldn't stay out too late.

When she returned to the penthouse, she felt like she was defying gravity. Ash was beginning to understand. He even said yes to a date with her. At the bonfire, it would finally be time.

When she stepped inside, she found Clemont and Korrina at the dining room table. Clemont had covered the entire table in heavy brown paper, and hundreds of electrical components were scattered all over it. He sat, carefully turning a knob on some unknown device. Korrina sat in the chair next to him, watching him dreamily. She was the first to notice Serena's entrance.

"Hey- Wow! Serena, is that you?"

Korrina jumped up from the table and ran over to her. Clemont was startled so badly that his screwdriver went flying. He was very red in the face.

"It's me!" said Serena. She realized Korrina was geeking out over her new clothes. She flicked her skirt for her audience, letting it swoosh in the air. "How do I look?"

"You look awesome! Clemont, you have to see this!"

Clemont banged his head on the underside of the table as he retrieved his screwdriver. Rubbing his head, he joined them.

"Oh my," he said. "That's quite a transformation. Was there some kind of special occasion?"

"Did you have a date?" Korrina asked, a sly look on her face.

Serena felt a bit warm in the face, herself.

"Kind of? I was out with Ariana all day, and she helped me pick out these new clothes, but then I ended up having dinner with Ash. It was really nice, actually."

"That's an unexpected turn of events," said Clemont. "I was quite certain Ash was meeting Miette for dinner tonight."

"She never showed up. I took her place."

"Hmm. Quite fortuitous timing."

"Yeah, what luck!" said Korrina. "Did you two have a good time?"

Serena bit her lip. Despite everything, she definitely had enjoyed herself.

"Yes, we did!"

A sly look crept across Korrina's face.

"Did you share a goodnight kiss before you came back?"

Serena was mortified, and so was Clemont.

"Korrina!" he said.

"I'm just curious! Sorry!"

Serena was feeling rather silly for not wanting to pry before as to whether the two of them had kissed.

"Having to deal with Bonnie is difficult enough!" said Clemont.

"Sorry!" Korrina said again, holding up her hands in surrender. "It's probably time for me to get going, anyway."

Korrina picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder.

Then, Serena's heart skipped a beat as Korrina kissed Clemont on the cheek.

"I'll see you tomorrow! Goodnight!"

"Goodnight," said Clemont.

Korrina walked out the door, and Serena stood face to face with Clemont in awkward silence.

Clemont rocked back and forth on his feet a couple of times before he spoke.

"Korrina is rather forward about her feelings, as I'm sure you've noticed."

"It would be hard not to notice."

"Indeed, it would be. Even for me."

Clemont looked like he didn't know what more to say, perhaps as though he had even said too much. He returned to the table.

Taking slow steps toward him, Serena followed.

"Where is Bonnie, anyway?" she asked.

"Already asleep for the evening," Clemont said, picking up his screwdriver again. "She spent the whole day at the beach with Korrina. She was exhausted when they got back."

"Were you not with them?"

"I've been working here all day."

"Clemont."

Serena crossed her arms and pursed her lips, staring at him with disappointment.

"Is there something the matter?"

"I don't know what you and Korrina _are_ , really, but you can't spend your time working alone in here when you could be with her!"

"I'm not being as foolish as it seems! The project I'm working on is intended as a gift for her."

Serena looked at the dreadful mess on the table.

"It doesn't look very… finished."

"It's quite far from finished, actually."

"What is it?"

Clemont adjusted his glasses. They glinted in the light. He looked so proud of himself.

"What you see here are the beginnings of an enhanced redesign of my greatest creation!"

"It doesn't look much like an Aipom Arm."

"I'm not talking about my Aipom Arm! I'm talking about Clembot!"

"You're making another Clembot for Korrina?"

"Not exactly. I'm making a _Korrinabot_ for Korrina."

Serena could only let her shoulders go slack and utter a faint _huh._ It was the most Clemont-like thing Clemont had ever done.

"There is a tremendous amount of work still to be done! I wish I had started sooner! If only there were a parts shop anywhere in this city, it would be so much easier. To my misfortune, the lack of one means I have to take apart my other inventions for their parts instead of using new ones."

Serena asked the most important question.

"Is the Aipom Arm okay?"

"Yes, my Aipom Arm is safe. It is far too valuable to disassemble for another project. Also, it doesn't contain any parts that would be helpful for this project, anyway."

Serena could only shake her head at it all.

"But... why? Why do this?"

Clemont scratched his cheek.

"Well, this vacation is going to come to an end soon. Korrina and I are both going to have to go home and resume our duties as gym leaders. When that happens, it's going to be difficult to find time to spend together, especially since we're far apart."

Clemont grabbed one of the many components atop the table and brandished it like a scepter.

"But, if we both have robots that can handle our duties as gym leaders in our absence, we can spend as much time together as we please! And it just so happens that I am an expert at Pokémon battle artificial intelligence."

Serena tilted her head at Clemont.

"Does Korrina know you're doing this?"

"No, she does not. She knows I am making something for her, but she does not know what it is. The Korrinabot is meant to be a surprise! I would prefer if you kept it a secret."

"I'm not going to tell her, but I think you should."

"But that would ruin the surprise!"

"Are you going to be able to finish this thing before we leave?"

"It's doubtful, I admit, but I may be able to show her a prototype! That alone would be quite impressive, don't you think?"

Serena shook her head.

"I think Korrina would rather you just spend time with her while you can and be honest about your feelings."

"I admit that this might not be the optimal use of my time, but in what way am I not being honest about my feelings?"

"Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"Making this robot."

"I'm making it so Korrina and I can continue to spend time together after we return home, of course!"

"And why are you doing that?"

"Because I enjoy spending time with her. What other reason would there be?"

"And why is that?"

"Because…"

Clemont looked frazzled, like at last someone had asked him a question he couldn't answer. He sighed.

"Because I like her very, _very_ much, and I don't want our time together to end."

Serena smiled at him, the warmest smile she had ever given him. Behind his glasses, Clemont's eyes were wide with adrenaline. His face was still red.

"Put all this down, and go tell her what you just told me," said Serena.

Clemont looked at the part in his hand, and then back to Serena.

"Now?"

"Yes, now! Go tell her how you feel, and what you're doing, and why. You're going to make her so happy, Clemont. You have no idea."

Clemont set the part down on the table.

"Are you certain this is a good idea?"

"I know it. Now go! She only left a few minutes ago. There's still plenty of time to talk to her tonight."

"But she's on skates, and I'm so slow on foot!"

"Hurry, then! Before she goes to bed!"

Clemont scrambled out of his seat.

"Oh goodness, there's no time to waste!"

Clemont bolted for the door. After a few seconds, his footsteps faded. He was gone.

Serena sat at the table in silence. The mess before her, she understood, was no mess at all. Before her were all of Clemont's thoughts and feelings, his good intentions manifested in physical form. What looked to her like the work of a mad scientist was instead something crafted with a tremendous amount of care and attention to detail.

Clemont was giving Korrina everything Ash had never given her.

 _Emotional honesty?_ She was a hypocrite, and she knew it.

With a heavy heart, Serena stood and walked back to her bedroom. Even if she couldn't find happiness, at least someone would.

From her window, she could just barely see the silhouettes of Ash and his Pokémon gathered on the beach.

But something else caught her eye.

Underneath a streetlight, on the same waterfront bench as always, Aria sat alone.

There were still so many questions to be answered, and time was short. It was now or never.

Grabbing her bag and slinging it over her shoulder, Serena slipped out into the night. It was time to get right to the heart of the matter.


	8. A Farewell to Queens

Chapter Eight - A Farewell to Queens

When Serena approached the bench, she made no pretense of hiding herself this time. As she drew closer, her footsteps shook Aria from her thoughts. Aria turned to face her, surprise written all over her face.

"I wasn't expecting you!" Aria said as Serena sat down next to her.

"You weren't?"

"Not at all."

"I could see you from my window."

"I didn't expect my presence to be enough to lure you here tonight."

"I don't know why you would think that. You said yourself that you still have so much to tell me! I have so many questions, and I'm running out of time."

"Are you, though?"

"Running out of time? Yes! Tomorrow is my last night here!"

"But are you _really_ running out of time? What does tomorrow night mean? Is it the end of a journey, or the beginning of another?"

Serena looked out at the sea. How could she answer any of those questions? What did they have to do with anything? Why was Aria always so frustratingly philosophical?

"I don't know," said Serena.

Aria nodded at her.

"I know this isn't what you want to hear from me, but I don't know, either. I don't have all the answers."

"You have a lot of them."

"I wouldn't say that."

"You have the answers _I_ want."

"Maybe."

Aria crossed her legs, and she looked up at the sky. The moon was bright tonight, almost full.

"There's so much I still don't understand," said Serena. "There are so many things you obviously know that I don't. I need your help."

"I'm touched that you think I can help, but truthfully, I'm as lost as you."

"You don't look lost to me."

"You must not be looking hard enough."

"Not looking hard enough? I've been looking _so_ hard! To me, it's like you're the only person who isn't lost!"

Aria sighed.

"I'm sorry to let you down."

"You haven't let me down."

"Not yet."

"Not ever!"

Aria pursed her lips. She looked away from Serena, bowing her head.

"I didn't expect any of this to happen," said Aria.

"Me neither! It's like you know things about me that I don't know about myself. It's like you appeared from nowhere to show me… something? I don't know what that something is, but I know _you_ do!"

Aria bit down on the inside of her cheek. She was very still.

"You say you're lost?" said Serena. "What am I, then? You're an inspiration to me! I would follow you anywhere!"

With her eyes closed, Aria shook her head back and forth.

"The blind leading the blind," she said.

"I would take being lost with you over being lost alone."

"Would you really, or is that your desire for answers talking?"

Serena's eyes fell as she searched herself for her answer.

"Both."

"You say I'm an inspiration to you, but what does that mean? How have I inspired you?"

"You make me want to be a better person! You've shown me that I can be more than I am! You've shown me I have so much more to learn!"

"You have more to learn than I can teach you. The answers I hold are not going to solve your problems."

"At least they would be a start!"

Aria closed her eyes again.

"Maybe they would be a start. Maybe they would be an end."

"An end? The end of what? I'm not going to stop caring about you just because you finally tell me what you know!"

Aria sighed.

"I wish I believed you."

"Why don't you?"

"I'm not sure you would believe me if I told you."

"Whether I'm _actually_ running out of time or not, it's time to tell me. We can't keep doing this!"

Aria looked up at the moon.

"As much as I have enjoyed it, I suppose it is time for our dance to end."

Aria stood. Serena stared up at her, confused.

"Where are you going?"

"Do you want answers?" Aria asked.

Serena almost couldn't believe the question.

"Yes! Of course I do!"

"Follow me, then."

Serena rose to her feet, but before she took a step, she had a question.

"Follow you where?"

Aria raised an eyebrow.

"I thought you said you would follow me anywhere."

Serena still didn't move.

"This isn't another setup, is it?"

Aria hung her head.

"No. Not this time."

"Where are you taking me, then?"

"To where I've been staying all this time. It's not far."

Before Serena could say anything, Aria spoke again. Her voice was quiet.

"Please."

Though she hesitated for another moment, Serena followed. To her surprise, Aria did not turn toward the heart of the city at the crosswalk. Instead, she turned toward the marina.

As they reached the docks, the mass of yachts in the harbor came into full view. From far away, Serena had never before fully grasped the size of them. All of them ghostly white, their masts towered above her, their sheer presence dwarfing her. She was certain that every last one of them was worth more money than she would earn in her entire life.

Near the end of the dock, Aria stopped in front of one of them. A short ramp led from the dock onto the deck of the yacht. Aria beckoned for Serena to follow as she stepped aboard.

"We have to take a boat to get there?" said Serena.

"No, this is it," said Aria. "My home away from home."

Serena looked from Aria to the yacht and back again. Incredulous, she pointed at it.

"Here?"

"Yes, here."

Serena crossed the ramp and joined Aria on the deck. She couldn't believe the size of it. On the deck was a lounge chair and a table with an umbrella. Toward the bow, a ladder led up to an observation deck. Toward the stern, a staircase led to quarters below.

"You live _here?_ "

"When I visit Monego City, I do. Real estate is so limited and so expensive here that unless you have property in your family, it's cheaper to buy a yacht and keep it in the harbor than it is to buy a house."

"You _own_ this thing?"

Aria looked a bit embarrassed.

"It's ostentatious, I know, but yes, I do. I come here when I want to get away."

"This is amazing."

Serena gazed up at the mast in awe. Aria brushed a strand of hair aside from her glasses and tucked it behind her ear.

"Would you care to join me inside?"

Serena saw Aria looking toward the stairs which descended beneath the deck. She hesitated to answer, clutching her bag on her shoulder. Aria took notice.

"No tricks this time, I promise," said Aria.

Serena nodded, and she followed Aria across the deck and down the steps. At the bottom, Aria removed a key from her pocket and inserted it into a lock on the door.

The door opened. Darkness awaited them inside.

"Just a moment!"

Aria stepped into the darkness and disappeared. A second later, the lights switched on.

"Much better!" Aria said as she reappeared in the doorway. "You can come inside now."

Serena didn't move. There was one question she had to have answered, and she would wait no longer.

"How did you do it?"

Aria looked confused for a moment.

"Oh!" she said, pointing to a spot on the wall inside. "The light switch is in an annoying spot, on the other side of the d-"

"How did you set me up with Ash? What happened to Miette?"

"Oh."

Aria bit the inside of her lip.

"I have a lot to explain."

Serena would not move. Her heart rate was becoming more rapid by the moment.

"What did you do?"

"When you told me that Miette was going out to dinner with Ash, I checked the reservations at _Café des Artistes._ After I found the time of her reservation, I sent this."

Aria reached into her bag and pulled out her cell phone. After a few touches, she held it out for Serena to see.

Just like the last time, it was a text to Siebold.

 _hey! i'm going to be in town for the big battle tomorrow and i'm going to have a special guest with me! it would be great if i could get a fresh batch of your famous chocolates :)_

Beneath it, Siebold's reply.

 _My chocolatier is out for the evening. I'll have to attempt to call her in. If she can't make it, your chocolates may be less than fresh. I'll keep you informed._

And beneath it, another.

 _She's coming in. Shall I have them delivered to the V.I.P. box at the arena tomorrow?_

And Aria's reply.

 _yes! thank you :)_

Serena read the messages a second time. She couldn't believe her eyes. Even when she handed the phone back to Aria, the timestamp on the first message lingered in her vision like a mirage.

 _Today, 5:35 P.M._

Serena stared at Aria, stunned.

"You sent that while we were shopping, didn't you?"

Aria smiled nervously.

"I had plenty of time to do it. You were taking your time in the fitting room."

"But why? Why would you do that for me?"

"Because you deserve better than to have Miette interfering with what matters to you the most."

"You didn't have to do anything, though! It was my fault that Miette got that far with Ash in the first place!"

"And as it so happens, I'm in a unique position to be able to do something about it."

"I still can't believe you did it! I can't believe it _worked!_ We never saw Miette, even though she must have been in the kitchen the whole time! Ash had no idea where she was!"

"My hope was that Miette would be too nervous about potentially falling out of Siebold's favor to decline his request to work. I never expected, though, that she valued her position so much that she wouldn't even leave her post to explain to Ash what was happening."

"But… why?"

Serena finally stepped forward, through the door and into the cabin. Her hands grasping at her forehead, lost in her own thoughts, she walked past Aria and then turned around.

"Why did you do this?"

Aria sighed.

"I did it for you."

Serena watched Aria, still in disbelief. Aria looked nothing like the picture-perfect girl from TV and magazine covers. She looked so vulnerable, so human, so much more like her than she ever could have imagined.

"How can I thank you? I don't even know to say."

"You're here," said Aria. "That's good enough."

It was at that moment that Serena realized she had walked past Aria and into her personal quarters. A bit embarrassed, she looked around at her surroundings.

She was standing in the center of a small, but fully-equipped living space. In one corner, an unmade bed with a few articles of clothing on the floor around it. In another corner, a tiny kitchen, with a few dishes and pots piled in the sink. Another, a tiny bathroom, with the door halfway ajar. Against one wall was a small sofa, one that could only seat two. Against the opposite wall, a television and speakers. In the middle of all of it, her.

It was an apartment for one, in the hull of a yacht.

"Please excuse the mess," said Aria. "I know it's a bit cramped down here."

Serena wandered deeper inside. It was such an odd place. Such an incredible luxury, yet incredibly uncomfortable at the same time.

"You actually live here?" Serena asked.

"Sometimes. When I want to get away, anyway."

"I guess it must be really convenient to have a place to live that you can sail anywhere, huh?"

"Not really. I don't actually know how to sail it. I always keep it docked here."

Serena couldn't help but feel like it was a waste.

"That's… kind of sad."

"I suppose, but it's more of an apartment to me than it is anything else."

"That's what's so sad about it. You could go anywhere in this!"

For a fleeting moment, a vision of a possible future crossed Serena's mind, one in which Aria gave up her place in the spotlight and the two of them traveled the world together by sea.

Aria promptly brought her back to reality.

"I can already go anywhere, though."

"Oh. Right."

Serena scratched her head. She felt a bit silly for not realizing it.

"It's tough for me to imagine what your life is like. You have everything."

Aria stepped toward Serena, hands folded behind her back.

"From my point of view, it's you who has everything."

"You're the Kalos Queen!"

"I have things. You have friends."

Serena drew breath to speak but could think of nothing adequate to say. There was nothing she could say to Aria that would dull the sting of those words.

She asked a question instead.

"When you left me at the café, and you told me I already had everything I needed, what did you mean?"

"You still haven't figured it out?"

"No! That's the whole point of this! If Palermo never told me there was something I didn't have, I would never have ended up on that bench the first night we talked! I would never have known you like I do now! We would never have developed this _thing_ we have now! I would still be some dumb, starstruck fan who can't hold a conversation with you! I would never have tried to beat Miette at her own game, I would never have worn these clothes, and I would never have ended up in this room with you! _Everything_ has happened because I've been searching for the answer this whole time!"

Aria shook her head, smiling at Serena.

"It's like you've missed the point every step of the way."

"Now would be a _great_ time to fill me in!"

Aria wandered over to one of the end tables that flanked the sofa. An assortment of picture frames sat atop it. She picked one up and gazed at it for a moment, then turned it to show Serena.

It was a picture of a younger Aria with Palermo, celebrating a showcase victory. The sight of it made Serena's stomach churn.

"This whole time, you've been searching for _what_ Palermo said you lacked, but have you ever considered _why_ she told you that?"

Serena froze.

"No."

Aria turned the picture to look at it again. Gazing at it, she continued.

"Palermo's image is bigger than she is. She's all mystique. She was a very good performer a long, long time ago, and she's made a career out of that. Her whole persona is tied up in this idea of _greatness._ And yes, she _was_ great."

Aria glanced at Serena, rather flatly.

"She was great at a time when the average performer was a talentless girl put up to it by her mother. She had a much easier path to the top than I or anyone between she and I ever had. By my own estimate, the average performer today who qualifies for the Master Class is at least as good as Palermo was in her prime."

"Do you mean…?"

Serena looked at her hands as though there was some newfound power in them.

"You're probably better than Palermo ever was. She knows that. She wants you to _think_ you need her. She wants to use you for your potential, to exploit you for her own gain, to sustain her fame. She knows that if you can find what separates you and me, she can take you on as her next student, and use you to surpass me."

"What separates you and me?" Serena repeated. "So there _is_ something!"

Aria set the picture down on the table.

"Yes, there is. But it's not as grand or life-changing or world-ending as you seem to think."

"What is it?"

"See that's the thing. Palermo was both right and wrong about you not having it. You do have it, just not in the right way."

"But what is it?!"

"Focus."

Serena's face contorted in confusion.

"What?"

"It's not a satisfying answer, is it?"

"No! What are you even talking about?"

"What Palermo thinks you don't have is focus. She thinks you lack a one-track mind, a mind that focuses on one thing and one thing only. She's right that you don't have that mind for performance, but she's wrong that you don't have it at all. You _do_ have focus. It's just that from her point of view, it's on the wrong thing. _Your_ focus is not on yourself."

Serena knew what Aria was about to say.

"Your focus is on Ash."

Serena covered her eyes and groaned, plopping down onto the sofa.

It was nothing. Palermo's comment was nothing more than a ploy.

As she held her head in her hands and tried not to think, she was coming to the bitter realization that she had spent weeks driving herself insane for nothing.

"That's _it?_ "

Aria sat down next to her.

"That's it. Nothing more than an idea of inadequacy she planted in your head for her own purposes."

"She was manipulating me!"

Aria nodded solemnly.

"She was."

Aria crossed her arms, and her legs. She stared at the opposite wall, tight-lipped, stone-faced.

The pieces of the puzzle came together.

"Did she do this to you, too?" Serena asked.

Aria averted her eyes up to the ceiling.

"Yes, she did."

"You wanted to warn me, didn't you?"

"Yes. I couldn't just _tell_ you, though. Nobody would ever believe me. Palermo is so famous, so revered. I had to try to make you realize it yourself. I couldn't risk you not believing me and informing the press."

"I would never do that! You know that."

"I do now. I didn't before. That's why I had to put you through all this."

Aria sighed. She unfolded her arms and brushed the hair out of the way of her face.

"This place _is_ where I come when I want to get away. Away from _her._ She doesn't know I own this yacht. Nobody does. The papers and everything are under a false name. The people who dock in the adjacent spaces here think I'm just some girl with a rich dad. It's the only way I can have freedom anymore."

Serena felt a pang of grief in her heart, and she covered it with one hand.

Aria removed her glasses and her hat. She undid the clips holding up her hair.

"Even when I relax, I have to be in disguise. I can't be Aria. I can't be me."

Aria tossed her mane of hair, trying to work out the creases from having it pinned up for so long. It was no use.

"If it's truly what you want, then continue performing, but don't get trapped in the camera eye like me."

Aria gathered her hair and tried to smooth it down with her hands. It was futile. After a short while, she stopped.

Silence fell between them. Serena had no idea what to say. It seemed as though nothing could comfort Aria, no words or actions capable of expressing enough sympathy. As she sat there with her, aboard a yacht in the most luxurious city in the world, Serena grappled with the growing realization that becoming Kalos Queen had ruined Aria's life.

There were other pictures on the tables, all depicting an Aria from a time long gone, a collage of her former life. As in the present, Aria had always lived her life on the stage. In the past, however, she wasn't alone on it. There were photos of her dancing and singing on a stage with many other people and Pokémon, all of them in costumes. Photos of her behind the stage, laughing and smiling with her costars. Photos of her with people who were obviously her parents. All of them, photos of people who had long since passed out of her life.

They all made Serena's heart ache.

Aria stood and wandered toward the bathroom, where she tried to fix her hair in the mirror. Serena could see it now. Aria was lost, but she hadn't lost her way. Her way had been _taken_ from her.

Palermo had given Aria everything, at the cost of everything.

Aria abandoned her efforts to fix her hair and pinned it up again.

She came out of the bathroom looking rather disappointed. She pointed toward the cabin door with her thumb.

"It's getting a bit stuffy down here. Why don't we get some air up on the deck?"

Serena was certain that Aria's interest in going outside had nothing to do with getting air, but she agreed anyway. Together, they left the cabin.

Back outside, Aria meandered across the deck, her hands in her back pockets. Serena's eyes followed her as she approached the ladder. Aria put one foot on the bottom rung and both hands on the side rails. Without a word, and without looking back, she ascended the short height to the deck above.

Serena walked over to the ladder and saw Aria disappear from sight as she stepped forward. Following her, Serena mounted the ladder and climbed.

At the top, she found the second level of the deck to be much smaller than the lower one. There was little more than a railing and a nice view. Directly opposite the ladder, Aria leaned against the railing, arms crossed, waiting. The moonlight cast a shadow from her feet all the way to where Serena stood.

Serena walked over to the railing and looked down. The water of the harbor waited some distance below. Ripples of moonlight shimmered on the surface.

"It's beautiful up here," said Serena. She pulled her head back over the railing and met Aria's eyes. She recognized the terrible sadness in them, so familiar.

"I suppose it is, isn't it?"

A question occurred to Serena that she had never before thought to ask.

"Are you happy?"

"No."

Serena looked away and sighed. The question sounded silly now that she asked it.

"I'm not sure why I asked you that."

"Are _you_ happy?"

Serena parted her lips. She hesitated before she spoke.

"No."

Serena stared at the water. The answer felt obvious, but it wasn't so simple.

"Well, that's not quite true," she said.

"Oh?"

"There are things in my life that make me happy. Pokémon and people, mostly."

"I think I could say the same."

"My Pokémon make me happy. My friends make me happy. We've shared a lot of happiness together."

Serena saw Aria gazing far into the distance. There was a long, piercing silence. Without looking at her, Aria spoke.

"Being with you has made me happy."

"Being with you has made me happy, too."

Aria took a deep breath. Her breath shook as she exhaled.

"You're amazing," she said. "You have everything I could ever want."

Serena's face filled with skepticism. How did having friends and anonymity make her amazing?

"I don't understand."

Aria faced Serena again. Her eyes showed an unbearable longing, one which Serena knew all too well.

"I know you don't, but perhaps this will help you see."

Aria stepped closer. She took Serena's hand in hers. Leaning in, she closed her eyes and kissed Serena on the cheek.

Serena's heart stopped cold. Her eyes shot open wide. Her hand slipped from Aria's as she stepped back.

"You-"

She couldn't get the words out. She clutched a hand to her chest, the other grabbing the railing for balance. Before her, Aria stood silent, head bowed, hands folded, red in the face.

Serena could only manage a whisper when she spoke again.

"You _like_ me?"

Aria looked up at her. She replied with a mournful nod.

Serena looked around, dizzy, awash in disbelief. The signs had been there the whole time. There were so many of them, so obvious now. It had always been right here in reach, right under her nose.

And somehow, she hadn't noticed.

Just like someone who had never noticed her.

Serena's mind reeled. Her breaths came rapid and heavy. She could do nothing but stammer when she spoke.

"I don't- I can't-"

Aria's reply came as a whisper, masking tears.

"I know."

Aria covered her mouth, holding back a sob. She turned away, coming to a rest at the opposite railing.

Serena could do nothing but watch. Paralyzed, her heart ached as she watched Aria's heart break. Aria's body shook as she quietly wept in the moonlight.

In that moment, Serena had the distinct desire to disappear, to vanish. Not just from sight, but from mind. She wanted to blink out of existence until everything blew over, only to return when things were back to normal.

Despite her wishes, she felt shackled to the spot.

The horror of what she had done dawned on her. She had done the unthinkable. She had broken a heart. Through her obliviousness, her single-minded desire, her focus at the cost of everything else, she had given Aria the same unrequited love that Ash gave to her. Watching the aftermath, she decided, was the cruel and well-deserved punishment for her crime.

Aria's stifled cries made Serena sick to her stomach. They went on and on. Minutes passed.

When Aria spoke again, it was through tears. Her back still facing Serena, she berated herself.

"This was so stupid. I was so stupid! I can't believe I actually thought you would be interested!"

Serena took a step forward. She reached a hand out toward Aria's shoulder, but before she made contact, she thought better of it and pulled away.

She swallowed, and then she spoke.

"It's not that I'm not interested."

Aria turned to face Serena. She looked awful, her makeup running in streaks down her red face.

"What?!"

"Maybe, if some things were different, things could have worked between us."

"Like what? If I was a boy?!"

Serena bit her lip. She held onto her bag strap over her shoulder.

"It's… not that."

"You're _actually_ into girls?"

"I don't know! I don't understand what's been happening! Maybe I am? I know that I'm into _you!_ What's not to like about you? You're so pretty, and you're so interesting, and you've done so much to help me! It's just-"

Serena bit her lip. Words failed her. There was too much to say, too much to explain, and only one way to say it. One word.

"...Ash."

Aria shook her head. Bitter anger lined her face.

"I knew it. I knew it the whole time. You and your one-track mind. I should have known it would never work. There was never anything I could do about it."

Her tears had stopped now. She crossed her arms, looking away, muttering to herself.

"What are you talking about?" said Serena. "You knew I was after Ash! I talked about my feelings for him all the time! You tried to help me with my problems with him!"

"I _know._ I was trying to help you see how terrible he is for you! How little he does for you! How much your feelings for him hold you back!"

Serena's face contorted in furious disbelief.

 _"None_ of those things are true!"

"They are _all_ true! How can you not see that tying yourself to him is the cause of all your problems?"

"Ash _saved_ me!"

"And he's going to _break_ you!"

"Break me?! He _made_ _me_ who I am!"

"And you won't let him go, even though you've outgrown him! He does nothing for you anymore! But you can't give him up, all because of some ridiculous summer camp promise from a decade ago!"

Serena grit her teeth.

"That promise means more to me than you will ever know."

"I'm sure it does."

Serena drew closer. She glared at Aria, face to face.

"For _years_ , whenever I was alone, my memories of Ash's words were all I had. He found me when I was lost. Not once, but twice. He may have left my life once, but I am _not_ going to let him leave it again."

"You can't contain him! I know you know that. It's what you've been afraid of the whole time, but don't want to admit! You need him _so_ much more than he needs you. He's going to leave you. It's only a matter of time."

"You don't know him!"

"You're right. I don't. But does he know you?"

Serena stared at Aria, her mouth open, trying to form words. Her eyes darted about as she tried to piece everything together.

"If you think Ash is so bad for me, then why did you intervene with his date with Miette? Why did you bring me there to take her place?"

"Because I wanted you to be happy! I knew you weren't going to fall in love with me, so I wanted to do my best to love you from afar! And-"

Aria shook her head, looking away and shutting her eyes. She didn't open them as she spoke.

"And deep down inside, I hoped that when you went in there, everything would go terribly and it would end your crush on him. And then you would end up with me."

"Well, you were wrong! Completely wrong! Ash and I made up at dinner! And maybe, if you had just been honest about your feelings, you wouldn't have had to stoop so low to try to get me to love you!"

"How was I supposed to be honest about my feelings?! You're so blindly in love with him that you can't see what's going on right in front of your nose!"

Serena faltered for a moment. Just as she was about to speak, Aria continued.

"And you're _really_ one to talk about being honest about your feelings! You've been hopelessly in love with Ash for _years_ and said nothing to him!"

"I'm _going_ to say something!" said Serena. "Tomorrow night! He's changed. He's learned. He's ready to hear it."

"And then what if he-"

Serena interrupted.

"Who are _you_ to talk? Ash and I have done so much to better ourselves, to grow. We've talked about our problems. We've done our best to solve them! And this whole time, what have _you_ done? You've toyed with me, always tempting me with secrets and leading me on!"

"I was trying to save you from falling into Palermo's trap! She was going to _use_ you!"

 _"You_ used me! You played with my mind and my heart to try to make me your own! You're no better than her!"

"I never planned on falling in love with you! I wasn't trying to win your heart when all this began! This wasn't supposed to happen! I couldn't help it!"

Aria sounded like she was going to say something else, but her words were lost behind a choked sob. She covered her face with her hands again, shaking with tears.

There was something about Aria's words that left Serena feeling unnerved.

"What… _were_ you planning, anyway?"

"I-"

Aria's attempt at a response was lost behind yet another sob.

"I can't-"

Serena wasn't sure why, but she backed away a step.

"You can't _what?"_

Aria became very quiet. She ceased to draw breath. She uncovered her face, shaking her head over and over. There was visible panic in her eyes, pleading with Serena.

"I can't keep doing this dance," said Aria. "I can't. I _can't."_

"What are you talking about?"

"I can't keep the truth from you anymore. You deserve better than this. You deserve _so_ much better than this."

Serena's heart faltered.

"...the truth?"

"Serena."

Aria inched forward.

"Please promise me that you'll listen to everything I have to tell you before you judge me. I have so much to explain, and even though I feel like a fool for doing it all now, I swear to you I did it with good intentions."

Serena only stared in response.

"Serena, please."

Aria's voice was a whisper, a desperate, pitiful whisper.

"Please promise me, Serena."

Dread filled Serena's stomach. Deep inside, she began to quake with fear. Stiffly, she nodded.

"I promise," she whispered back.

Aria folded her arms, tightening them as if to steady her body. Her voice trembled as she spoke.

"I've made so many mistakes, I don't even know where to start. I didn't understand the consequences of what I was doing. I truly, genuinely regret it now. All of it."

Aria took a deep breath. She shuddered as she exhaled.

"Did you ever wonder why the fact that you and your friends received a reward from the champion herself never made the news?"

Serena stopped breathing.

"The truth is… the vacation you're on is not a reward from Diantha. It's entirely my doing."

"What?"

"I set up everything. The penthouse where you're staying isn't just Diantha's. It's a timeshare. Both Diantha and Palermo own it."

Serena's eyes widened. Her pupils narrowed.

"I came up with the plan after the Master Class. Palermo wanted me to meet with Diantha about a possible movie deal. We all met in their penthouse. While we were discussing the details, I discovered they had a scheduling conflict. They were both going to be away on business at the same time, two weeks in the middle of the next month."

Serena's eyes became even wider. The next month after the Master Class was _now._ It was the middle of the month _now._

"While the two of them went over the details, I was able to slip a piece of Diantha's stationery into my bag. After I left, I called the Grand Monego Hotel and confirmed that neither one of them had the suite reserved for those two weeks. I booked the suite under Diantha's name, pretending to be her assistant. Then, I forged the letter from Diantha on her own stationery."

Serena stepped backward.

"To prevent it from being intercepted, I delivered it to the Pokémon Center in Lumiose City myself, in disguise. I knew you were staying there from all the press coverage of you and your friends' heroics in stopping the Team Flare attack. I enclosed four train tickets, along with my personal restaurant voucher. Then, I waited and hoped it would work."

Serena continued to backpedal, unsteady on her feet.

"When we first met at the clothing store, and again on the waterfront, on our bench, I didn't just randomly encounter you. I was intentionally planting myself in places I thought you might find me."

Serena's heart palpitated, skipping beats as a cold sense of deceit crept up her spine. She began to itch all over. She felt sick to her stomach.

"All those times I left for no reason, do you know what I was doing? I was panicking! I had no idea what to do about my feelings for you! I couldn't stand what I was doing to you! I hated myself for it! That's why I'm telling you all this now! I can't stand it, but I had to do it!"

Serena bumped into the railing. She sank to her knees.

"I did it all so I could see you again and warn you without drawing any attention from the press! If the media knew you were spending time alone with me, it would be awful for both of us! I had to do this in a way that wouldn't be detected!"

Serena felt her mind breaking. It was all impossible. There was no way Aria could have attempted such a ridiculous and improbable plan, let alone succeeded in it. She wasn't hearing this. She couldn't be.

And yet, it continued.

"I had to see you again after the Master Class. You know why? Because I saw something in you that Palermo didn't."

Becoming more frantic by the moment, Serena found her voice.

"You manipulated me! I _trusted_ you, and you _lied_ to me! Just like her!"

Aria's words and eyes began to flood with tears again.

"You have something so rare, so special. Do you know that? You have genuine empathy. You care about others so honestly and so fully that it melts my heart! You are the sweetest girl in the world, and I wanted to be closer to you! I just didn't know how!"

Serena could take no more. Panic took hold. She scrambled toward the ladder, crawling on her hands and knees.

Aria sidestepped her and blocked the way, arms outstretched.

"Please listen. Please."

 _"Get away from me!"_

Serena backed away on all fours, falling over herself, unable to get to her feet. She retreated until she collided with the railing again. Reaching up, she clung to it.

Aria blocked the only exit.

"I don't know what to do, Serena! I don't know how to make friends, let alone how to be a lover! I was dying for someone to care about me, to be genuinely interested in me as a person, to see past everything I am! I'm still dying for that! I did the only thing I could think to do, hoping that _you_ would be the person to save me from this lonely existence!"

Serena pulled herself up, supporting herself with the railing. The color had drained from her face. She was hyperventilating.

"Please, I know you have a million reasons not to believe me, but _please_ trust me when I say I meant no harm to you or your friends. I only wanted to help you and to spend time with you without being followed by the press. Please trust me."

Serena looked over the edge. The water shimmered in the moonlight below.

"Please."

Serena leaned over the railing. Her bag dangled from her shoulder, swaying in the air.

"What are you doing?!"

Aria came running toward the railing. Serena snapped her head around to face her. Teeth gritted, she shook. The snarl of her voice stopped Aria in her tracks.

 _"Get. Away. From me."_

She swung herself over to the far side of the railing.

"Serena!"

She pushed off.

Aria's scream was silenced by the crash of the water.

Serena sank into the depths, and her panic became despair.


	9. The Thin Line Between Love and Hate

Chapter Nine - The Thin Line Between Love and Hate

Beneath the water, the first thing Serena was aware of was her inability to breathe. It was more than a lack of air surrounding her. There was a lack of air inside her. The landing had knocked what little air she had out of her lungs.

Stunned by the impact, she struggled to move her limbs. Desperate, she opened her eyes. They were greeted by inky blackness and the sting of saltwater. She tried closing them again, but the damage was done. Hopeless, she drifted deeper and deeper.

The thought occurred to her that it was finally okay to give up. This was the end. It had to be. For a few moments, a strange comfort washed over her. She could finally let it all go. It was over. It didn't matter anymore. Nothing did.

But then, she felt the distinct sensation of bumping into something, something much larger than her. She flinched, and a spike of adrenaline coursed through her veins. Her limbs began to move again. She flailed wildly in an attempt to get away, losing all sense of direction.

As soon as she began to kick, her shoes slipped off. She felt her bag slipping off her shoulder. Instinctively, she clutched it tight. Her shoes lost to the depths, she kicked and kicked. There wasn't much time before her body would force her to take a breath, regardless of the absence of air.

It became harder and harder to keep kicking. The sensation in her chest was indescribable, a compulsion beyond words. She had to breathe. She would die if she didn't, but she would die if she tried.

Serena wrapped her hands around her neck, strangling herself. She couldn't let herself inhale the water. She had to do anything she could to prevent it from entering her lungs.

She kicked frantically. Her leg muscles seared with pain from the stress. There was faint, shimmering light coming from above, becoming ever closer.

Her legs stopped kicking. She couldn't make them move. The strain was too much. She began to sink. In desperation, she tried to keep herself afloat with one hand while she reached up with the other. She needed a miracle.

Her hand broke through the surface and touched air.

Her body surrendered. Water entered her mouth and tried to rush down her throat. She tried to spit it out and found she couldn't. Her arms flailed and flailed. She was so close.

Her face breached the surface. A violent cough and a horrible gasp pierced the night. She spat out saltwater and inhaled air. The taste was glorious.

Her fleeting victory lasted but a moment. One breath, and she was sinking again. Her head slipped beneath the surface. She had to keep pushing to stay afloat.

She breached the surface a second time. A second breath. Movement came easier now. When she sank again, she was undaunted. The third time was easy. It was all easy from here.

She tread the water, her desperate breaths becoming slower, calming. The horrid cough subsided as her lungs emptied of water. She became aware of her stinging eyes again, and what she could see.

She had traveled some distance under the water. She was in between the rows of yachts. At first, she wasn't sure which one was Aria's.

But then, she saw Aria leaning over the stern of the nearest one, shouting her name.

Serena turned in the water. Treading where she was, she looked up at Aria.

When Aria saw her looking back, she went quiet. There was a life preserver tied to a rope laying next to her on the deck. She picked it up, preparing to throw it.

The two stared at each other.

After a few moments of silence, Aria's grip on the life preserver tightened. It was all too clear in her eyes how much she wanted to help. She wanted to reach, to make a connection, to save and to be saved. If only she knew how.

Serena shook her head.

Aria's mouth opened, and the life preserver slipped through her arms and fell to the deck.

Without a word, Serena turned and swam away.

She paid little attention to where she was going. All that mattered was that she ended up somewhere Aria was not.

There was no obvious way for her to get out of the water. Though she was surrounded by yachts and docks, there wasn't a ladder, ramp, or any other way back onto dry land in sight. The only place she could see was the beach, some distance ahead.

It wasn't that far, she decided. It would be much better than begging to strangers on other yachts to please pull her aboard. It was the right thing to do. She was leaving on her own terms. It was her decision to make.

Serena paddled her way out around the far end of the docks. From there, it was a straight shot to the beach. She wasn't sure of the distance, but it could not be but so far. She could see Ash and his Pokémon sitting in the sand, like tiny motes of dust in the distance.

She entered the open water between the docks and her destination. For several minutes, she thought nothing of it, but it occurred to her after some time that she was making little progress. Every time she looked back at the docks behind her, they were only the slightest bit farther away, yet the beach never seemed to grow any larger in her vision.

She kept pushing. Now was certainly not the time to think of giving up. She began to grow fatigued. The adrenaline was wearing off. Her muscles, even now with a proper supply of oxygen, were beginning to cramp.

She could feel the bag around her shoulders weighing her down, filled with water and dragging behind her like an anchor. She could not let go of it. It was her lifeline. Everything she owned was inside it. Not merely her belongings, but her Pokémon. Braixen, Pancham, and Sylveon were all inside their balls in her bag. For them, she could not let go.

The thought of losing her Pokémon to the depths kept her going. The more she pushed, the more she understood that the distance to the beach was much greater than she realized. She was certain a current was pushing against her.

It was dark. No one could see her from the shore. None of her Pokémon were capable of getting her out of the water, nor even capable swimmers themselves. If she could not make it to shore, they would all be swept out to sea. Without at least something to hold onto, there was no way she would be able to stay afloat long enough to be rescued.

She stopped looking back. The docks were slowly getting further and further away, but a new thought was intruding in her head. She couldn't bear to see the vast, endless expanse of water separating her from the horizon. It was threatening to claim her, to swallow her. And if not the water, what lurked beneath it.

Her stomach tied itself in a knot at the thought of what she had bumped into when she first entered the water. She tried to tell herself it was okay, that she had been disoriented at the time, that it was only the hull of the yacht, or maybe a piling supporting the dock. But the more she tried to quell her fears, the worse they became. With every movement of the water against the bare skin of her legs, she feared the sudden, vicious bite of a Sharpedo, to rend her flesh, end her life, and claim her for the sea. She feared the slithering tentacles of a Tentacruel, reaching for her in the dark, coming to ensnare her. She feared the wrath of a Gyarados, come to devour her whole.

The beach drew ever closer. Her movements became more strained, more frantic with each passing second. Each passing breath grew more and more rapid. If only she could make it. If only she could cheat death.

The waves became rougher as she approached the shore. It was harder and harder to keep her head above water. The waves broke over her head and drenched her yet again, filling her eyes and her mouth with seawater.

She was so close. She had to make it. This was not the end. She was not running out of time.

Her time had only just arrived. This was the beginning.

She felt sand under her feet. The waves were breaking against the shoreline now, heaving her to and fro in the surf. They would push her so far forward, then pull her so far back. She kept feeling the sand beneath her feet, but she could get no traction on it, her feet scooping out clumps of it when she tried to move.

Then, finally, she caught a wave at its peak. It lifted her up, pulling her over the retreating surf.

For just a moment, she felt like she was flying.

Then, the wave broke, and it threw her unceremoniously onto the sand, the rest of it spilling to the ground and rushing onto shore around her. For one last time, the water covered her.

When the wave returned to the sea, it did not take her with it. She was on land.

With her mouth, nose, and eyes filled with water, Serena coughed and heaved. Her eyes stung, but there was nothing she could do to clean them. Her wet hands were caked with sand. Blindly, she crawled toward higher ground, feeling the sand turn from wet to dry.

Finally satisfied she was safe, she collapsed. The sand felt warm compared to the chill of the sea breeze over her drenched body.

Just as she began to calm herself, she heard a voice.

Pikachu nudged her. She opened one bleary eye. Immediately, he called for the others.

There were footsteps, and more voices.

She heard the one she cared about most.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Ash came running to her, kneeling beside her.

"Can you hear me? Are you alright?"

He placed a hand on her back. A second later it hit him.

"Wait- Serena?! Is that you? What happened?"

Serena wanted to speak, but at first, she only coughed.

Ash shook her. His eyes were filled with panic, his Pokémon huddled all around, mirroring his concern.

"Serena, say something, please!"

"Ash…"

Ash sighed with obvious relief.

"You're okay," he said. He sounded more like he was saying to himself than to her.

He tossed aside his hat and slid one hand under her, the other still on her shoulder. He rotated her onto her side, then helped her sit upright.

"You're okay. You're gonna be okay."

Serena was far too exhausted, both physically and emotionally, to care about such trivial things as boundaries or appearances. When Ash sat her up, she slumped over onto him, resting her head on his chest.

Ash still had his arms around her. Under better circumstances, it would have been quite pleasant.

"What happened?"

There was so much to explain. Too much.

"Just… hold me."

Ash didn't move. Serena was too shocked to be sure, but she thought she felt his grip tighten.

Everything about their vacation was a lie. It wasn't a reward at all. It was a setup, a staged farce, nothing more than a ploy to drive the two of them apart. Though her face was blank, inwardly, Serena smirked. Aria's plan had failed, just like Palermo's. The proof of her failure was right here, in plain sight.

"Did someone hurt you?" said Ash. "Please, tell me what happened."

Serena had no idea where to start. It was too complicated, too involved for Ash to ever understand.

Or was it?

Serena swallowed her words as she opened her mouth to speak. How could she even begin to explain this? There were too many secrets, just like there always had been. It was enough of a challenge keeping Aria's identity under wraps. That was only the tip of the iceberg.

She was so close to telling Ash how she felt. Tomorrow was the day. It was complicated enough with Miette meddling in everything. How would he react if he found out there was yet another person involved? Would he retreat back into his shell? Would all her work trying to get him to open up be undone? It was such a risk.

"It was Ariana."

"Ariana? She did this to you?"

"Not exactly. I went to see her after I went back to the hotel. We went to the marina together, and… we got into a fight."

"A fight? Did she hurt you?"

"No, but I ended up in the water."

"What happened? Did she push you?"

"No, it was my own fault. I was so mad at her that I wouldn't let her help me back up out of the water, so I swam back here."

Ash looked beyond confused.

"Why? What did she do?"

"She said a lot of things I really didn't like."

"I thought she was your friend!"

"I did, too."

"What did she say?"

Serena hesitated to speak. Ash normally never cared about details like this.

"She said a lot of bad things about you."

"About me? Why? We barely know each other."

"I know. That's part of what made me so mad about it. She said that you're not good for me. That you hold me back. That you don't even know me."

"What? That's not true!"

Despite Ash's protest, Serena wasn't sure that Aria was wrong.

"It made me really angry. We argued about it, and things got worse from there, and I ended up in the water."

"That's crazy! Why would she say stuff like that?"

"Because…"

Serena bit the inside of her lip. She pulled away from Ash's chest.

"Because she thought that I care too much about you, that you're the only thing I think about."

"That's not true at all!"

"It kind of is."

"You care about showcases! You came in second in the Master Class! You almost beat Aria!"

Hearing the name made Serena go tense. Ash's hands fell away from her. She looked away.

"I told you before. No, I didn't."

"Yes, you did! I saw it! I was there!"

"Me too. It's just like you and Alain! I know what _really_ happened. I lost because Aria only thinks about performing and getting better, but I…"

Serena looked at Ash again. Her lips parted, she feared to speak the words, to tell the truth.

"I only think about you."

Ash just stared. The breeze tossed his hair about, while Serena shivered as it chilled her to the bone. Her wet clothes stuck to her body. Every part of her that had touched the ground was crusted with sand. Her hair was matted down to her head. Strands of it stuck to her face, unable to be moved by the wind.

For the first time since landing on the beach, Serena looked at her bag. Water leaked out of it as she picked it up. A strand of seaweed dangled from it. She knew there was no point in digging through it. Instead, she turned it over, dumping its contents onto the sand.

Along with a splash of seawater, out came her three Poké Balls, along with the rest of her belongings. She sifted through the wreckage. Her spare clothes were soaked, certain to smell like salt for weeks even after a wash. Her regular shoes were ruined, destined to never fully dry. Her tablet was a total loss, beyond repair.

The envelope containing Aria's forged letter and the rest of the documents for their fraudulent vacation was completely sodden. The ink was washed off of everything. She tossed it aside. Palermo's business card was reduced to a floppy, illegible scrap of paper. Serena balled it up in her fist, water wringing from it and dripping down her arm. She threw it into the waves.

At the bottom of it all was a curled, washed-out piece of photo paper. The colors which had previously formed a picture were now only barely recognizable.

Her heart seized. Once, it had been her favorite picture, one she would sneak glances at every night she could. It was a picture taken when they traveled with Korrina long ago, a silly souvenir of the five of them together in front of some ancient stone structure in Geosenge Town. It would have been unremarkable if not for the way she inched closer to Ash right before the shot was taken. She used to blush at the sight of it.

She was a fool.

What was once among her most prized possessions was now a pitiful mockery of itself, a fitting end to the pitiful life she had lived for so long. She had endured months and years of mental torment, dying both to keep a secret and to let it out, for what? The privilege of being where she was right now? She was drenched, freezing, dirty, tired, and still without love.

She looked at Ash. In his eyes, she saw a thousand emotions and thoughts he could never put into words, not because he didn't have them, but because he was Ash. He knew nothing of trying to read people, or endless yearning, or unrequited love. He knew only Pokémon and battles. He was never going to be her knight in shining armor, come to save her from a life of endless drudgery and want. He didn't come to sweep her off her feet.

He swept her away.

Something in Serena's head broke. Deep within, the dam that had held everything back began to crack.

"Ash."

"Yeah?"

Serena reached for one of her Poké Balls. Covered with sand, she gripped it in her fist.

"Will you have a battle with me?"

There was silence but for the waves and the wind. Serena refused to tear her eyes away from his. Her grip on the ball tightened.

Now was the time.

Ash stared back at her, astonished.

"For real?"

"Yes."

Ash looked around at all of his Pokémon. They looked just as confused as him.

"Are you sure? We've never had a real battle before."

"I know."

Serena could see the gears turning in Ash's head.

"Right now?"

"Yes, now."

Serena rolled onto her knees and pushed against the ground. Slowly, with great difficulty, she rose to her feet.

Ash stared up at her, remaining seated. He eyed her up and down.

"You've got to be cold in those wet clothes. Aren't you tired, too?"

"Yes."

Serena saw something in Ash's eyes she never saw in them.

Doubt.

He asked her a question she knew he would never ask if it was anyone else challenging him.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Okay, but-"

"Just battle me, Ash!"

Ash rose to his feet. His face said everything. Serena could see it all, clear as day. He knew that for every reason imaginable, this was the worst possible time for a battle. And yet, no matter how much he tried to use his judgment and resist, there was a part of him that was incapable of resisting.

A confident smile crept across his face.

"Okay."

Pikachu scrambled up onto his shoulder. The rest of his team gathered beside him.

"What kind of battle?" he asked.

"Anything."

"How about three on three, then? It'll be a good warmup for my battle tomorrow."

Serena looked at her other two Poké Balls in the sand. Three Pokémon was all she had.

This was it. The end was here, at last. Three chances to get to know Ash in a way she had never known him before, and then it was all over.

Forget tomorrow night. Forget the bonfire. She saw the fire in Ash's eyes. It was contagious. She matched his confident smile.

"You're on."

"Awesome! Everyone, let's take our places!"

Ash pumped his fist and ran with his team a short distance away on the beach. When they stopped, they all turned to face Serena on the opposite side of their makeshift battlefield.

"I'm ready when you are!" said Ash.

Serena nodded at him. Squeezing the ball one last time for good luck, she tossed it onto the battlefield.

"Pancham! I choose you!"

Pancham materialized from the brilliant white beam of light. As soon as he had his footing, he pulled his sunglasses off and tucked them atop his head, the shades useless in the dark. When he saw Ash and his team standing on the opposite side of the field, he looked back at Serena.

Serena replied to his glance in a low voice.

"I know it's weird, but this is a real battle. We've got to do our best to win. Can you do that for me?"

Pancham gave Serena a thumbs up.

Across the field, Ash considered his choices.

"Pancham, huh? Alright, Hawlucha, I choose you!"

Hawlucha stepped forward onto the battlefield and made several impressive entrance poses. As always, it seemed like he could hear some kind of theme music that no one else could.

Pancham cracked his knuckles while he waited for Hawlucha to finish.

"The first move is all yours!" said Ash.

"Pancham, Arm Thrust!"

"Hawlucha, Karate Chop!"

Serena's heart began to race. Pancham charged, and Hawlucha charged in turn. The two of them met in the center of the battlefield, their attacks colliding. When Pancham's first strike was blocked, he struck again with the other arm. Hawlucha blocked again with another chop.

The two lingered in contact for some time, then both backed away.

"Pancham, Stone Edge!"

"Take the hit!"

Serena knew as soon as Ash called his move, she had made a mistake. Pancham drove his fist into the ground, and stone spikes shot up from below. Hawlucha stood still, arms folded, eyes closed, ready. As the stones hit and threw him into the air, he did not even react.

"Now, Flying Press!"

"Dark Pulse!"

Hawlucha opened his eyes and righted himself in the air. He was up so high, much higher than he could have jumped under his own power. He glowed, surrounded by a white aura. Pancham began charging his attack in each hand. Serena clenched her fists.

As soon as Hawlucha began to drop, Pancham took aim.

"Fire!"

Pancham fired the dark pulse. The beam shot up into the sky, hitting its mark, but Hawlucha cut right through it, appearing unaffected.

"Dodge! Now!"

Pancham cut his attack short and threw himself to the ground, rolling a short distance away in the sand. Less than a second later, Hawlucha impacted the ground where Pancham would have been. Sand kicked up everywhere, obscuring the action.

Serena had no interest in giving Hawlucha the opportunity to recover.

"Stone Edge! Trap Hawlucha!"

Pancham rolled to a stop, stood up, then pounded his fists into the sand again. Stones rose from the ground all around where Hawlucha had landed, forming a jagged cage surrounding the area.

The sand settled. Hawlucha stood in the center of the Stone Edge trap, inside a crater which was shaped just like his body. He struck a pose and eyed Pancham from the side, beckoning him to attack.

"Dark Pulse!"

With Hawlucha trapped, Serena tightened her fists in anticipation. He wouldn't be able to escape this attack. Pancham was going to land a clean hit.

Her hopes were dashed when Ash called his next move.

"Wait for it, Hawlucha!"

Hawlucha did not move, remaining in his impressive pose. He watched like a statue.

Pancham fired.

"Karate Chop, now!"

Hawlucha made a massive sweeping motion, spinning around with his arm aglow. In an instant, the rock prison holding him hostage collapsed. The crumbling stone blocked the Dark Pulse, and Hawlucha leaped from the ruins into the air.

"Flying Press!"

Hawlucha was too close this time to hope to dodge.

"Arm Thrust! Block it!"

Hawlucha bore down on Pancham. The two collided, and Pancham's strength held out for but a moment. His arms gave way, and he was forced to the ground, sent rolling by the blow.

"High Jump Kick!"

Hawlucha sprung from one attack to another. He planted a foot on the ground and dashed ahead, ready to drive his knee right into the reeling Pancham.

Serena had other ideas.

"Pancham, return!"

A jet of red light shot across the battlefield, and Hawlucha's attack passed right through its intended target. Hawlucha came crashing to the ground, and Pancham was safely back in his ball. The stones all across the battlefield vanished.

Unsteady on her tired legs, Serena reached for her other two Poké Balls on the ground. With difficulty, she gripped one of them in her hand and prepared to throw it.

Pancham had plenty of fight left in him. It would be better to save him for later. Now was not the time for giving up. Now was the time for strategy.

"Sylveon, I choose you!"

Sylveon materialized on the battlefield. Just as with Pancham, she turned to face her trainer, unsure of the opponent.

Ash laughed awkwardly when he saw.

"It looks like none of your Pokémon want to battle against us!" he said.

Serena didn't respond, speaking to Sylveon instead.

"This is a real battle. Please, do your best out there, okay?"

Sylveon looked unsure. Hawlucha was picking himself up from the ground, dusting himself off.

"It's okay, Sylveon!" Ash called from the far side of the field. "We're just having a practice battle, but it's okay for you to go all-out!"

Though Sylveon appeared somewhat assured by Ash's words, Serena was not.

"It's _not_ a practice battle!"

Sylveon looked back at Serena again, now even more confused.

Ash scratched his neck.

"Well, it kinda is!" he said. "I mean, it's a real battle, but it's not like we're battling for something."

Serena's brow clenched.

"Speak for yourself! _I'm_ battling for something!"

Sylveon gazed up at Serena, fraught with concern.

"What are you talking about?" said Ash. "I thought this was just a friendly challenge!"

"It is _so_ much more than that. Sylveon, get ready! We're going to win this!"

Serena's fists were clenched, held up at her sides as if ready to fight. Ash smirked. Serena knew he would. This was his element.

"That's the spirit! We're not going down without a fight, though! Ready, Hawlucha?"

Hawlucha struck yet another pose. Sylveon looked back once again for reassurance.

"You can do this, Sylveon! Fairy Wind!"

"Take it!"

Serena was determined not to be fooled this time. Sylveon spread her feelers, and a pink wind emanated from them, sweeping across the field. Hawlucha was ready for it.

"Hawlucha's going to try to use the attack to get high in the air for an attack! Get ready! Double Team!"

Just as with Pancham's Stone Edge before, Hawlucha stood still, waiting for the attack to come. The strike lifted him into the air, and he began to prepare for a Flying Press.

But Ash had a different idea.

"Come back down, Hawlucha. Serena's not going to let that work again. Right now, we've gotta deal with that Double Team."

Copies of Sylveon spread all over the battlefield. Hawlucha spread his wings and glided to the ground, landing in the middle of them.

"We won't be able to force the real Sylveon out easily," said Ash. "Just get ready to move, and wait for their attack first!"

Serena glared at Ash. The waiting game he was playing was getting ridiculous.

"You can't just wait forever!"

As the words left her mouth, her heart missed a beat. The statement rang true on more levels than she intended.

"We're not going to!"

"Sylveon, Swift!"

Hundreds of stars shot at Hawlucha from every direction. There was no way the attack would miss its mark.

As the stars fired, the copies of Sylveon disappeared, and only the true one remained, standing a great distance to the side, near the water.

"Hawlucha, now! High Jump Kick!"

As the stars converged on Hawlucha's location, he jumped into the air, leaping toward Sylveon. The stars followed him.

Serena gritted her teeth. She was not going to be fooled. Not like this.

"Sylveon! Fairy Wind! Blow it all back!"

Sylveon spread her feelers again, and this time, with the sea breeze to her back, conjured a stronger Fairy Wind. The pink air surged forward from the sea. The Swift stars scattered and vanished on contact. Hawlucha continued forward until he lost all momentum, and came to a stop in the air. He wrapped his arms tightly around himself, reducing his air resistance and dropping gracefully to the ground.

"X-Scissor!"

With her back against the water, Sylveon had nowhere to go.

"Protect!"

Hawlucha charged at Sylveon, arms crossed in an X shape. Sylveon became surrounded by a force field. She bared down, ready to take the blow.

The attack made contact and bounced off the barrier, useless.

"Fairy Wind, now!"

"Karate Chop!"

Despite Serena's efforts to call the attack as quickly as possible, Sylveon couldn't do it in time. With the barrier down, standing right in front of Sylveon, Hawlucha raised a glowing arm and delivered a sharp blow, knocking her aside.

"X-Scissor, again!"

"Double Team, Sylveon! Get out of there!"

As Hawlucha's X-shaped blow passed right through where Sylveon was supposed to be, copies of his intended target scattered all around.

"Great! Now, forget about Double Team, use Fairy Wind!"

The real Sylveon came to a halt near her original position in front of Serena. The copies vanished, and Sylveon conjured the pink wind once again.

Ash made no attempt to call a move. Hawlucha was already preparing to take the hit.

Serena clenched her jaw along with her fists. It was like Ash wasn't even trying.

Sylveon's attack rushed across the sand at Hawlucha. As before, Hawlucha stood still. The attack struck, and he rode it high into the air.

"Flying Press!"

"Swift!

Sylveon conjured a swarm of stars and fired them at Hawlucha. Undeterred, Hawlucha charged through them, barely slowing as he came bearing down.

Serena didn't breathe. She waited for the exact moment. She knew what to do, but it was going to take precise timing.

Hawlucha broke through the far side of the swarm of stars. He accelerated toward Sylveon.

Serena bit her tongue for just one more moment.

"Double Team, now!"

Sylveon vanished, dispersing into dozens of copies yet again. Hawlucha crashed to the ground where she had once stood. Sand kicked up from the impact again.

"Swift!"

The copies of Sylveon all vanished, and she fired another swarm of stars right at where Hawlucha had crashed.

As soon as the attack fired, Serena called for another move.

"Fairy Wind! Finish this!"

Hawlucha had no time to get to his feet. Shielding himself with one arm, he weathered the Swift as the dust settled.

But then, another Fairy Wind was right behind it. He was blown away, taking the full force of the attack, rolling over the sand.

When Hawlucha came to a stop, he did not move.

Serena threw a fist into the air.

"Yes!"

"No way!"

With his eyes wide, Ash ran over to where Hawlucha lay on the ground. When he came to a stop and knelt down, his reaction confirmed what Serena already knew. Hawlucha was knocked out.

"I can't believe it," Ash said, running a hand over Hawlucha's back. "I thought for sure that would work. Sorry, buddy. Take a rest. We'll do better next time."

He returned Hawlucha to his ball, then turned and faced Serena.

He had no words, but his face said everything.

Serena took a step forward, her fists at her sides.

"Stop holding back!"

"I'm n-"

"Don't even try to tell me you aren't!"

Ash stood again.

"Serena…"

"This may just be a practice battle to you, but it isn't to me! We've been together all this time, and never even once have we done this! If we really do have to part ways forever after tomorrow, then I want the chance to know you in a way I've never known you before. This is that chance!"

Ash opened his mouth to speak, but said nothing, instead making a line with his lips and looking away. He shoved his hands into his pockets.

"You're holding so much back! I know you are! You can't hide it anymore! Stop it!"

Ash looked back at her. Wordless, mouth parted again, he let out a sharp breath, and his shoulders sank.

A cold sea breeze swept over them. Serena shivered as she spoke.

"Show me what you're hiding! I want to know that all of this, everything I've been through, has been worth it! I don't want all this to be for nothing!"

Ash gave her one slow nod.

"Pikachu."

He pointed to the battlefield. Pikachu ran down his arm and jumped onto the sand, standing opposite Sylveon.

Ash walked back to his side of the field. When he looked back at Serena again, the fire in his eyes from before had been replaced by something much more serious.

"If you want a real battle, we can give you one."

"It's not that I want a real battle! I want the real _you!_ "

"Pikachu, Quick Attack!"

"Protect!"

Serena had seen it hundreds of times before, but never on the opposite side. Pikachu's speed was phenomenal, faster than the eye could see, in the literal sense. Before Sylveon could get the shield up, Pikachu was burying a shoulder into her face.

Sylveon went reeling, rolling a short distance over the sand.

But she quickly rose back to her feet.

"Swift!"

"Electro Ball!"

Sylveon formed another array of stars and fired them at Pikachu. Pikachu, in turn, formed a ball of electricity on his tail and flipped over in the air, flinging it. The attacks collided in midair. The Electro Ball ate a hole directly through the Swift and roared on toward its target.

"Protect!"

Sylveon had enough warning this time. The shield went up, and the Electro Ball fizzled and dispersed on its surface, eating it away.

"Iron Tail!"

Pikachu was already on the move when the Electro Ball hit. His tail a gleaming, metallic color, he slipped through the opening he cut in Sylveon's shield and landed a blow directly on her head.

Sylveon collapsed to the ground, and Pikachu dashed away to a safe distance. He was nothing but a blur in Serena's vision.

"Sylveon! Can you stand?"

Sylveon pushed her way back to her feet, looking unsteady. Serena knew she couldn't take much more.

"Quick Attack!"

"Fairy Wind!"

The pink wind blew again, and Pikachu charged right into it.

"Everything you've got, Sylveon! We can't let Pikachu through!"

Sylveon put more power into the attack. Pikachu slowed, struggling to move through the wind.

Again, Serena seethed. She knew Pikachu was stronger than this. There was no reason to have him try to charge head-on through an attack that was slowing him down. Pikachu had dozens of other ways to get through. If there were a badge on the line, there was no way Ash would try something like this.

Unless he was choosing the wrong moves on purpose.

The Fairy Wind howled.

"Come on, Ash! I know you have more! I've seen it!"

Pikachu dug into the sand, unable to go any further through the Fairy Wind. He weathered the attack, pinned down.

"Thunderbolt!"

"Protect!"

"Quick Attack into Iron Tail!"

It looked effortless, the way Pikachu did it. After firing so many Thunderbolts in his life, even a normal one was a frightening sight to any opponent. The powerful arc of electricity dispersed over Sylveon's shield, just like Electro Ball. Also just like before, Ash had a brutal follow-up ready.

In a split second, Pikachu covered an amazing distance. He streaked across the battlefield, invisible to the human eye until he came to a halt, his momentum abruptly transferred to another body. He delivered a crushing blow to Sylveon with his Iron Tail, sending Sylveon rolling across the sand, limp.

"Sylveon!"

Serena's legs were shaking. She made no attempt to run over to Sylveon. She knew it was a knockout. She held up Sylveon's ball and returned her with a flash of red light.

"I know you did your best. Thank you."

She turned back to face Ash. Pikachu stood on the battlefield on all fours, looking ready for anything. Serena doubted that Pikachu had taken any damage at all. She weighed her options. Either she could send out a partially worn-out Pancham, or a fresh Braixen.

She gripped Pancham's ball in her hand. He was the faster of the two. They would need that speed to keep up with Pikachu.

"Pancham, it's your turn again!"

Pancham rematerialized on the battlefield. When he saw his opponent, he pulled his sunglasses from his head and tossed them aside. He spat out the leaf in the corner of his mouth.

"Pikachu, Quick Attack!"

"Arm Thrust, Pancham! Block it!"

In the blink of an eye, Pikachu rammed into Pancham. Pancham, both arms held out, took the attack and stopped it, his feet digging back into the sand.

When Pikachu came to a halt, he immediately began dashing away, putting distance between the two of them.

"Dark Pulse!"

"Dodge!"

Pancham formed the blast between his hands and fired. His aim was off. By the time the attack reached where he thought Pikachu would be, his target was long gone.

"Again, Pancham!"

Pancham fired again and again. None of the blasts hit their mark. The more times Pancham tried, the clearer it became that Pikachu wasn't merely changing directions as he darted around, evading everything Pancham threw at him. He was also changing speeds.

"We won't be able to hit Pikachu from a distance! We have to bring him to you! Use Stone Edge! Block him in!"

Pancham drove his fists into the sand, stones erupting from the ground all over the battlefield. Instead of forming a cage or trying to strike right under Pikachu's feet, Pancham formed a wall around the battlefield. Concentrating, stone after stone came out of the ground, each one constraining Pikachu's movement a bit more.

As the wall went up, Pikachu, as well as Ash, disappeared from Serena's line of sight.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

"Dodge it!"

Pancham had only a fraction of a second to duck behind one of his own stone pillars before a bolt of electricity charred the spot where he had been standing.

"Again!"

"Keep dodging!"

Pancham rolled. Again, he avoided a Thunderbolt by mere inches.

But then, Pikachu came into Serena's view again, and she realized her mistake.

Pikachu was on top of Pancham's stone wall.

"Again, Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu was right on top of Pancham's position. There was no way to dodge.

Serena saw Pancham's eyes go wide, then blank, as Pikachu delivered the finishing blow. There was never any chance. Pancham fell to the ground, and the stone walls all vanished.

"Pancham…"

Serena sighed. She knew it had been a risk to send Pancham back into the battle. He gave it his all anyway.

"Thank you," she said, returning him to his ball.

Serena could see Ash across the battlefield again. He was tight, cold, distant. There was no joy in his eyes. Whatever thrill the battle had provided earlier, it was gone now. He looked almost irritated, like he was waiting for the battle to end already.

Gripping Braixen's ball, Serena took a deep breath. It wasn't the end yet, nor was she going to let it come so easily.

"Braixen, I choose you!"

When Braixen appeared on the field, she also turned back to look at Serena.

But unlike the others, she nodded.

Without a word, she pulled her wand from her tail and ignited it.

"Flamethrower!"

"Thunderbolt!"

"Hidden Power! Block it!"

A jet of flame shot from Braixen's wand, one which Pikachu easily dodged before firing off a counterattack. The Thunderbolt struck the spheres of Hidden Power in the air and exploded into nothing but dust.

"Flamethrower! Keep Pikachu moving!"

Serena wasn't sure, but she had a hunch that the right strategy for beating Pikachu with Braixen was the opposite of what she wanted to do with Pancham. Pancham was not a great battler from a distance, but Braixen was excellent. If they could just wear down Pikachu's stamina, they had a chance.

Ash didn't have to tell Pikachu to dodge. By the time the Flamethrower arrived, Pikachu was long gone. Unlike Pancham, though, Braixen was able to track Pikachu much closer. Pikachu dashed around the battlefield frantically, with Braixen's attack right on his tail.

"Pikachu, jump, then Quick Attack!"

"Fire Blast!"

Pikachu made one last quick turn to dodge the Flamethrower, then took to the air. He rocketed at Braixen.

Braixen was ready. A five-point blast of fire emerged from the flaming tip of her wand. It met Pikachu halfway.

Pikachu passed right through, but not without taking a direct hit. He collided with Braixen and sent her toppling over.

Braixen was quick to get to her feet. Pikachu was not.

As he tried to rise, a quick flash of fire broke out over his fur. He was burned.

"Yes! Nice work, Braixen!"

Braixen gave Serena a short nod as she stood at the ready.

"Pikachu, return!"

Pikachu looked back at Ash. He hesitated for a moment, then hurried his way across the battlefield, back to Ash's side. As he ran, his fur flashed with fire once again.

Ash knelt down and sprayed Pikachu with a medication from a bottle. Serena was certain it was a Burn Heal.

"Good work out there, buddy," said Ash. "Greninja and I will take it from here."

Silent, Greninja stepped forward onto the field.

Serena wasn't sure, but she thought she saw Braixen's wand lower, if only a tiny bit. Now was not the time to hesitate. They were lucky to make it this far, and she knew it.

"Are you done holding back now?" she asked.

"I'm not holding back."

"You're lying."

"Greninja, Water Shuriken!"

"Hidden Power!"

The two attacks met, but not halfway, not even close. Greninja's stars of water collided with Braixen's Hidden Power spheres only a split second after they were fired. The result was a shower of water droplets which turned into a haze, swallowing Braixen and obscuring her sight.

"Aerial Ace!"

"Scratch! Behind you!"

Just like Pikachu, just like all of Ash's strongest Pokémon, Greninja disappeared with blinding speed. By the time he reappeared behind Braixen, the blow had already landed. It was the best Braixen could do to launch a weak Scratch attack as she was knocked to the ground.

"Water Pulse!"

"Fire Blast!"

Standing right above where Braixen lay, Greninja conjured a ball of water in his hand and threw it downward at his target. Braixen had but a moment to summon the Fire Blast. Pointing her wand up at Greninja, she fired only just in time to fizzle the Water Pulse and scramble away.

"Double Team, Greninja!"

"Flamethrower! Find the real one!"

Fire roared over the sands as Braixen spun around, sweeping the battlefield with a wreath of flame. Flushed out, the real Greninja appeared in the air, high above.

"Water Shuriken!"

"Hidden Power!"

"Aerial Ace!"

"Flamethrower!"

The initial attacks were nothing more than cursory distractions. Water Shuriken and Hidden Power collided in the air, but Braixen was already turned around, firing a jet of flame from her mouth, and Greninja was already there.

"Water Pulse!"

Greninja blocked much of the Flamethrower with a quickly summoned Water Pulse.

"Scratch!"

"Cut!"

Claw struck blade, and the two were locked in hand-to-hand combat. Braixen growled, baring her teeth. Greninja showed no emotion whatsoever.

After a few seconds, Greninja broke their contact and jumped away, flipping over backward in midair. From a short distance away, he began to circle Braixen. Braixen began to circle him in kind, her wand blazing and held at the ready.

Serena seethed again. There was no way Braixen should have been able to hold her own in a standoff with Greninja.

"I told you to stop holding back!"

"Greninja, Double Team!"

"Flamethrower!"

"Water Shuriken!"

Braixen's strategy of covering the battlefield in flames did nothing this time. Greninja jumped high into the air, split into many copies, and then fired Water Shuriken from every imaginable angle. Braixen's ring of fire radiated outward on the ground, missing everything.

"Hidden Power! Shield yourself with it!"

Braixen summoned dozens of spheres of energy. It wasn't enough to protect her. The real shuriken slipped through one of the many small gaps in her armor, striking her from behind. She fell to one knee, but quickly spun around and held her wand at the ready.

"Water Pulse!"

"Fire Blast!"

The copies of Greninja disappeared, and the real one came into view. He fired a ball of water at Braixen. Braixen, in turn, fired another five-pointed blast of fire from her wand. The two attacks collided, and the Water Pulse fizzled out, chewing a hole through the center of the Fire Blast.

Greninja dove through the hole he created, passing right through Braixen's attack. He was already preparing his next move when Ash called it.

"Water Shuriken!"

Greninja fired several stars of water in rapid succession.

"Flamethrower!"

Braixen was too slow to defend herself against the full attack. The first two stars hit, sending her falling to the ground. The others were consumed by the Flamethrower.

"Aerial Ace!"

"Scratch!"

Greninja vanished again, reappearing behind Braixen a moment later. The attack had already landed. Braixen had no time to respond.

For a few seconds, she lay on the ground, unresponsive.

Just as Serena's hope was about to give out, Braixen dug her wand into the sand. Holding onto it like a staff, she pulled herself up, rising again.

Her breaths ragged and shaky, she stared down Greninja.

"Do you really think we're holding back?" said Ash. "Braixen can barely stand!"

"If you were battling at your full strength, this would be over already!"

"It _is_ over!"

"No, it's not! We're still in this! We're not giving up!"

"Don't make me do this! I don't want to hurt Braixen! I don't want to hurt _you!_ "

"You've already hurt me! And no matter what you have to do to win this battle, nothing is going to hurt me and Braixen as much as knowing that we tried our hardest, but you and Greninja didn't try at all!"

"Greninja, Cut!"

"Scratch!"

Greninja closed the distance and moved to land the finishing blow.

Braixen bared her claws and caught the attack between them. Sinking to her knees, she howled as she strained to push back.

Greninja's strike inched closer and closer to her face.

"Let it all out, Ash!"

"No! I'm going to hurt you if I do! I can't do that to you!"

 _He's going to break you._

Aria's words echoed in Serena's ears.

 _It's only a matter of time._

That time had come and gone. It was long in the past. Serena was already broken. There was nothing Ash could do to break her now.

"Braixen, Fire Blast!"

Greninja's finishing blow was hovering right over Braixen's neck.

But then, Braixen opened her mouth and lit up the night.

With a roar, she belted out a massive blast of fire, the largest Serena had ever seen from her. The heat was painful on her eyes even from all her distance away.

And Greninja took it right in the face.

He toppled over backward, charred all over, stunned. From across the field, Serena heard Ash gasp.

Braixen was wreathed in a glowing, orange aura.

"No way," said Ash. "It's just like Infernape."

"Flamethrower, Braixen!"

"Water Pulse!"

Belting from her mouth, Braixen's Flamethrower ripped through the night air. Greninja's Water Pulse did little more than fizzle and steam against it. It evaporated, and he crossed his arms over his face, shielding himself from the blow.

When it subsided, he lowered his arms. Even he looked astonished.

"You think you're going to break us?" said Serena. "We're so much stronger than you realize!"

Braixen and Greninja were locked in a staring match. Her teeth showing, Braixen stepped forward, using her wand as a cane. When Greninja did not back down, she took another step forward. And another. And another.

They stared at each other, face to face.

"Why are you so afraid of showing me what you're holding back? I trust you! I know that you would never mean to hurt me! Show me! I can take it!"

"It's too much."

"Can't you see me right here? Look at how much I've endured! Do you have any idea what I've been through?"

"Maybe."

"Maybe? If you really did, we could have ended this dance months ago! I've spent every second of every day since we reunited waiting on pins and needles, hoping against all hope, that somehow you would notice how I felt about you! And that maybe, if I was lucky, you would feel the same way about me! But that didn't happen! Instead, this is where we are! We're out of time, and I'm still trying to force it out of you!"

"I don't understand."

"No. You can't tell me you don't know what's going on! Not after everything I've seen. Don't lie to me, Ash. Don't you dare."

"I don't understand… _how._ "

"How? What do you mean, _how?_ "

Ash was blank. Vacant. Lost. Gone. The Ash that Serena knew wasn't there.

Her blood boiled.

"Braixen, Scratch!"

Braixen swiped right across Greninja's face. Greninja did nothing more than raise an arm to protect himself.

"Again!"

Braixen swiped again, delivering another blow.

Ash did not call a move.

 _"Again!"_

Braixen growled as she struck yet again. Greninja continued to do nothing.

Serena shook, furious, breathing heavily through her teeth.

"Why can't you see me? Why am I not good enough for you?!"

Without receiving a command, Braixen attacked again.

Ash said nothing.

Serena screamed.

 _"Answer me!"_

Braixen raised her claws to strike yet again. This time, Greninja did not hesitate to respond. Effortlessly, he caught Braixen's wrist, arresting her movement. When Braixen let go of her wand and tried to strike with her other hand, Greninja caught that arm, too.

"Fire Blast!"

Before Braixen could charge the blast in her mouth, Greninja was wrapped in a sheath of water. Both he and Ash were aglow, the link between them connected.

Braixen fired. The transformation was already complete. In an instant, Greninja released his grip, removed the massive shuriken from his back, and stifled the blast before it ever left Braixen's mouth.

There was an explosion of energy. Braixen was thrown across the field, skidding to a stop in the sand. She felt around for her wand. It was nowhere to be found, blown far away by the blast. She turned her head up to the sky.

Greninja soared above, silhouetted by the light of the moon.

"Water Shuriken."

Greninja unleashed a massive volley, a hail of blue stars raining from the sky. The barrage pummeled Braixen, kicking up sand everywhere.

The dust settled. Greninja landed in a combat stance, balancing on one foot.

Braixen was buried by sand. First one hand came clawing up from below, and then another. Coughing, her head surfaced. She crawled forward on all fours, sand spilling from her fur. Gasping for breath, she collapsed.

But still defiant, she glared at Greninja with one eye open.

"Please don't make me do this."

"We are _not_ giving up!"

"Serena-"

"Flamethrower!"

Laying on the ground, unable to move, Braixen still complied. Weakly, she began charging the attack in her mouth.

Ash hung his head.

"Aerial Ace."

Greninja vanished. When he reappeared, Braixen was skidding to a halt, unconscious, right at Serena's feet.

Serena stared at Braixen's limp form. She gave everything she had. She left everything on the battlefield.

Serena's fists shook from fatigue, from being clenched for so long. Her jaw ached from gritting her teeth. Braixen gave everything. She was going to do the same.

"There," said Ash. "It's over now."

Her feet dragging through the sand, Serena took a step forward.

"No, it isn't."

She took another step, passing Braixen. She stared dead ahead, her eyes passing through Greninja, boring a hole all the way to Ash.

"Serena…"

"It's not over. I'm still here!"

Her stiff, shaky legs dragged as she shambled her way across the sand. As she approached, Greninja first allowed his transformation to fade, then stepped out of her way.

There was nothing between Serena and Ash now.

Ash looked horrified. He looked like he was ready to run.

"What are you doing?" he said.

"Face me."

"I just did!"

"I said face me!"

"What do you mean?"

"Stop hiding from me! Stop running away! Face me, here and now!"

Serena drew closer and closer. She raised her fists.

"Face me! _Tell me!_ "

"Tell you what?"

"Why am I not good enough for you?!"

Serena pulled back her fist, holding it high, ready to strike.

But in that moment, time stood still, and she saw in Ash's eyes a fear more painful and pitiful than she ever could have imagined.

Her heart throbbed. Her breath seized.

All at once, everything fell. Her fist, her head, her body, her tears. What started as a whimper turned into a horrible, anguished cry. She fell to her knees, then collapsed.

She convulsed with sobs. They came uncontrollably, revolting, wretched, making her body heave. Sand stuck to her face from the tears and her running nose. It stuck to her lips and entered her open mouth.

Dirty, wet, and defeated, she wept at Ash's feet. She hoped against all hope that this was the end. If it wasn't, she didn't want to know what the end felt like. She was certain her heart would split in two. Years of pain and longing finally came to the surface, spilling onto the sand.

Ash sat down next to her. She didn't know what she wanted from him. It was too late. There was nothing to be done now. Her dreams were dead. All of them. She had no future.

"Serena."

Serena moved her eyes and saw Ash's face, downcast. He stared at his hands in his lap.

"It's me who isn't good enough. Not you."

Serena wanted to say something, anything, but could only choke out another sob in reply.

"I can't… I can't do this. Not with you, not with anybody. I only hurt people. I don't know what I'm doing. I'm not good enough."

"You _idiot!_ "

Serena forced the words out through all the tears, her body shaking as she spoke.

"What do you mean you're not good enough? I'm madly in love with you!"

Ash made a brief move to look Serena in the eye, but he looked away again.

"I have been this _whole time!_ "

"I… should have known."

Serena sobbed again. There it was, at last. The big confession. She made it face down on the ground. A fitting end.

"I just… wasn't looking," said Ash. "On purpose, I guess."

"Why? Why would you ignore me?"

"Because I don't know what to do."

"That never stops you! Why let it stop you for this one thing? Do you have any idea how much you mean to me?"

"I guess not."

Serena pushed herself onto her side. Fury was taking her over again.

"When I met you, you were the only bright spot in my life. Do you know why I was at that summer camp? Because my dad _left_."

Ash became very still.

"It was just me and my mom, and she didn't know what to do with me. She never did. So she sent me to camp, hoping it would cheer me up. It didn't. You know what happened next. I was terrified of everything. I ended up alone, injured, lost in the woods. All because I was afraid!"

Serena tried to sit up, but she only made it halfway.

"And then you showed up. You did more than rescue me that day. You showed me how to live. You showed me how to have courage, how to have determination, how to have hope. When I went home and returned to my life of tending Rhyhorn and arguing with my mom, the words you shared with me were the only thing keeping me going. I kept your handkerchief in the drawer of my bedside table, and I looked at it every single day. I held it when I needed the strength you showed me. And believe me, more than once I thought about running away to Kanto to find you."

Ash's eyes were wide, unblinking. He said nothing at all.

"When I saw you on the news, diving off Prism Tower to save Pikachu, it was the first time I saw you in years, and for a moment, it looked like you were going to die right before my eyes. You, the embodiment of all my hopes and dreams. Do you have any idea how that felt?!"

Ash slowly shook his head.

"When you were saved, I knew I had to find you again. It was a sign. I didn't go on this journey to become a Pokémon trainer, let alone a performer. I went on this journey so I could find you! There was never any other reason. It was always for you."

Serena pushed again to sit upright. She couldn't do it. Stuck on her side, she reached for where the ribbon would normally be, near her collarbone. When she realized it wasn't there, she reached for her hair.

The ribbon was sodden. When she pulled on it, the knot around her hair came undone. She clasped the ribbon limply in her hand.

"When we met again, it was like seeing you for the first time. Everything you showed me all those years ago came rushing back. All those feelings. I couldn't help it. You were everything to me. You were so interesting, and so skilled, and you had become so stupidly handsome. I had no chance. I fell for you so hard I didn't know what to do. So, I followed you. Everywhere."

Serena gripped the ribbon tighter, holding it to her chest. The tears were coming back now.

"I did everything for you. I gave you everything I had, and then some. When you didn't notice me, I did everything I could to improve myself for you, to make myself good enough for you. _Every single thing_ I did was for you. I pushed myself to be better for you every day. A better trainer. A better performer. A better person. It was all for you. Becoming Kalos Queen was never my real goal."

Serena sniffed, trying to hold back the tears. It wasn't working.

"My goal was always you! And after all this time, you still don't see me! You _still_ won't tell me why! And you say that _you're_ the one who isn't good enough? You are the light in my life, Ash! How _dare_ you say you're not good enough!"

Serena grimaced at the ribbon, and she threw it right at Ash's face. He flinched as it hit him. The ribbon bounced off and landed in the sand between them.

Serena whimpered, laying her head in the sand again.

"You're the best, Ash. The best there ever was."

She shut her eyes. Covering her face with her hands, she sobbed.

Minutes passed. Neither said a word. There was nothing left to say, it seemed. Serena cried so long that she wondered how she had any tears left. She rolled onto her back and dug her feet into the sand, writhing. When she opened her eyes, the scene was all wrong. Somehow, the sky was still there. It hadn't fallen.

When her tears began to subside, and the sound of the waves took over once more, Ash finally spoke.

"Love… _hurts_. Doesn't it?"

Serena glanced at him. She shook her head and looked back up at the sky.

"Not always," she said, sniffling. "Sometimes it does. That's part of caring about people. When someone you love gets hurt, you get hurt, too."

"I hurt right now."

Serena turned her head. She stared at him.

"Me too," she whispered.

"Love _always_ hurts me. It hurts everyone I care about."

Ash had his arms crossed as he stared off into the distance.

"It hurt my mom," he said.

Pikachu, still ragged from their battle, nudged up against Ash's arm, trying to provide some measure of comfort. Ash didn't even notice. He kept talking.

"She always told me that my dad left to go on his own Pokémon adventure. When I was growing up, that was all I ever wanted to do. I couldn't wait to become a Pokémon trainer, because I was going to become a Pokémon Master, and I was going to meet my dad."

Serena's breaths stopped.

"She told me about the letters we got from him. She said he was in Cerulean City, seeing the cape and the lighthouse, or that he was in Fuschia City, on an adventure in the Safari Zone, or whatever. He was always on the move. Every day was a new adventure. I wanted to be just like him."

Ash tightened his lips. He swallowed.

"My mom cried every day. She always set the table for three, just in case he showed up. I kept believing. I kept my dream alive, but I knew the truth. My mom never showed me any of his letters. She would say we got one even when I waited by the mailbox all day and the mailman never came. Sometimes, when I was outside playing all day, she would tell me he called. Every time, I just missed him."

Tears pooled in Ash's eyes.

"I know I'm not bright, but I'm no dummy. He never wrote. He never called. He didn't leave on a Pokémon adventure. He just _left_."

Ash wiped his eyes. He sniffled, then shook his head. His voice trembled as he continued.

"He broke my mom's heart. She loved him. He didn't love either of us."

Serena wanted to reach for Ash's hand, to hold him, to do anything to comfort him. Pikachu clearly wanted to do the same, curling up in his lap. Ash paid no attention. He continued.

"I still wanted to be just like him. He was a hero to me. I was going to go on my own adventure, see the world, become a Pokémon Master, and never worry about anybody. As long as I didn't love anyone, I couldn't hurt them, and they couldn't hurt me."

He took a deep breath, then sighed.

"Turns out, I was wrong about that."

He tightened his arms around himself. For a moment, Serena thought that he was done talking.

But then, a tear streaked down his cheek, and he spoke in the softest, most pitiful whisper she had ever heard.

"I should really call my mom more…"

Serena reached out to him, stretching one arm over the sand. When he didn't notice, she dug her hand into the sand and pulled, dragging herself closer to him, if only by a few inches.

Ash sniffled and wiped his face again.

"It's different this time. I've said goodbye so many times before, but it never felt like this. I tried not to let myself feel anything, but…"

Ash looked down at Serena, still crawling toward him.

"You're the nicest person I've ever known. You make me want to be better, at everything. I can't leave you. I care about you too much."

"Ash…"

"I couldn't beat Alain because I can't let you go. I can't let it be the end. But it's scary, and I have no idea what I'm doing, and there's so much going on in my head and it makes me feel so weird, and-"

"Ash."

"Huh?"

Serena was right next to him now. She tugged on the back of his shirt, urging him to come down to her.

"You've said enough," Serena whispered to him. "Just lay here with me."

For a moment, Ash looked like he didn't know what to do, like he couldn't figure out what to do with his body. With some difficulty, he laid back on the sand next to Serena. He gazed up at the night sky.

He was still farther away than Serena wanted. She placed an arm around his chest, gripping his opposite shoulder, and pulled herself right up next to him.

With a deep breath, she snuggled into him.

For a few minutes, they lay motionless, Ash looking at the sky, and Serena with her eyes shut. She opened her eyes when Ash spoke.

"Does our journey really have to end?" he said.

"Not unless we want it to end."

"I don't want it to end."

"Me neither."

"I want to stay with you."

"I want that, too. I want _you._ I don't ever want to be apart from you again."

"I don't want to say goodbye."

Serena took hold of Ash's hand and gave it a squeeze.

"You don't have to. Stay with me. Be with me. Let's find out what the future holds. For us. Together."

Ash sighed. He shut his eyes. His expression softened. He looked peaceful, content.

"Together."


	10. To Be Enough

Chapter Ten - To Be Enough

The morning came all too soon, and much too hectic. When Serena awoke, it was to Bonnie jumping on her bed and Korrina shaking her by the shoulder, telling her she needed to get up right away or risk being late to Ash's match.

The second she was awake, she panicked. She was still covered in sand and salt from head to toe. All of her clothes were still soaked from the previous night. She had literally nothing to wear, not even shoes. After dropping off their Pokémon at the Pokémon Center, Ash had helped her back to the hotel, barefoot.

With Korrina's encouragement, Serena ran into the bathroom, turned on the water, and scrubbed herself furiously. When she emerged only a few minutes later, she found that Korrina had left a dress and a pair of shoes on her bed.

A single, simple hair tie lay on the bedside table. Serena pulled her hair back and secured it in place. It would have to do.

She held the dress up by the shoulders and frowned at it. Korrina had left her a white sundress and a pair of flats. It was impossible for Serena to believe they belonged to her.

It looked like the type of outfit someone might wear on a first date. The thought made Serena uncomfortable.

Doubtful, she slipped into the dress. It was far from perfect, but it was a better fit than she expected. Grateful for Korrina's height, Serena found that what would have been a mini skirt was a knee-length one on her. The shoes were a bit loose, but they would suffice for now.

Ash was already gone, needed at the arena ahead of time for setup. Together with Korrina, Bonnie, and Clemont, Serena ran out the door and raced through the streets. They were sure to be late otherwise.

For once, she truly sympathized with Clemont. Her legs were still beyond fatigued from her ordeal the night before, and she lagged behind with him, both of them laboring for breath.

By the time they reached the hill which the arena stood atop, Serena was pushing on her knees to force her way up the incline. Korrina was behind Clemont, pushing him up the hill. Much like the baking contest at _Café des Artistes,_ there were television vans outside the entrance, with dozens of people and Pokémon moving about. Serena rolled her eyes. Of course this was going to be on TV.

When she, Clemont, and Korrina finally reached the gate, Bonnie was already there, engaged in an animated argument with a security guard.

"See, there they are!" Bonnie said, pointing at them as they approached. "I told you! Now let us in! We're going to miss everything!"

The guard looked furious. Her arms were crossed, and she held a clipboard in one hand.

"Unless one of them is named Serena, none of you are getting inside. The list says Serena, plus three guests."

Out of breath, Serena approached the guard. Korrina trailed behind her, dragging Clemont by the hand.

"I'm Serena," she said, pausing to take a deep breath and push aside a strand of her still-wet hair. "Please, let us in."

"Identification, please."

"Huh?"

"No ID, no entry."

Wide-eyed, her hands on her knees as she caught her breath, Serena stared at the guard. She had no ID. She had nothing with her. She had nothing to bring, anyway. Everything except her Poké Balls had been ruined.

She was about to stammer out a reply when she saw Miette leaning against a column inside the gate.

Miette smirked at her.

"So nice of you to make it!" Miette called to her. "Having some trouble getting in, I see?"

Serena glared back at her.

" _You."_

"I'm not sure what would be more fun - you missing the whole battle and watching me give Ash a victory kiss on TV, or you seeing me do it in person. Hmm…"

Miette held a finger to her chin, looking aside, pretending to ponder. Serena's fists tightened. She took a step toward the gate, but the security guard put a hand on her shoulder and pushed her back.

"No ID, no entry."

"Oh, who am I kidding?" said Miette, shrugging. "It's much more fun to needle you in person."

Miette came up to the guard and tapped her on the shoulder.

"That's Serena. They're all supposed to be here. I know them."

She pointed to a badge pinned to her shirt which read _STAFF_.

"I'm with Siebold."

The guard gave Miette a suspicious glance.

"You expect me to believe that?"

"Here," Miette said, pulling a business card from her pocket. "I'm the chocolatier at Siebold's café. I delivered chocolates to none other than the Kalos Queen herself this morning."

Serena gulped. Aria's chocolates were supposed to be delivered to the VIP box this morning.

Aria was here.

The guard read the card, raising an eyebrow at Miette. She shook her head.

"If you insist," she said, pocketing the card. "But if these four cause any trouble, you'll be hearing from me, understand?"

Miette grinned.

"Oh, I'm sure they'll be no trouble at all! Won't they?"

Her eyes lingered on Serena. Serena refused to dignify Miette with a response. She walked right past her, through the gate. The others followed.

"I don't get paid enough for this…" the guard grumbled as they passed.

Serena stalked ahead, leaving everyone behind, trying to ignore Miette.

It was no use.

"Truly, it is a pleasure to see you this morning," Miette said, sidling up to her.

"It's not a pleasure to see you," said Serena, refusing to look at her.

"Now, now. That's no way to speak to someone who just did you a favor, is it? You should consider yourself lucky."

Serena stopped in her tracks. She grit her teeth, seething.

" _Go. Away."_

"Oh, you need not worry about that. I'll be leaving you alone shortly. You see, you all are guests of honor! You have the best seats in the house, up in the VIP box. I have to settle for a regular seat on the sideline."

Serena's heart faltered. She realized what the guard's list meant.

They were Aria's guests.

Miette circled around in front, her eyes piercing Serena. She leaned in close, whispering.

"Maybe, while you're up there, you and Aria can come up with another ridiculous plan to stop me from winning Ash."

Serena's eyes went wide. She couldn't speak.

"I saw Ash on his way in this morning. I intended to apologize to him for missing our date, explaining that work called me in and I had no choice but to go, but lo and behold, he told me it was all okay because _you_ showed up and took my place."

Serena had stopped breathing. Miette raised an eyebrow at her.

"I can't imagine why the Kalos Queen would invite you to an event like this as her guest, let alone take any interest in your petty romantic troubles, but, I must admit, I never saw it coming. What a twist! Bravo!"

Miette placed her hands on her hips. Her smile was sickening.

"How ironic, then, that Aria's meddling in your affairs has placed you in such an inopportune location! While you're up in the VIP box, far away from the field, I'll be right next to it. When Ash wins, it will be me, not you, who the cameras catch running onto the field and giving him his hard-earned victory kiss."

Miette folded her arms. Smug, she tilted her head at Serena.

"Truly, it _is_ a pleasure to have you here. I wouldn't have it any other way. Oh, and rest assured, if you two try to pull off another stunt today, I _will_ be informing the press."

Serena was on the verge of telling Miette precisely what she could do with her arrogance, but the others caught up to them.

"What's going on here?" said Korrina, her arms crossed, a firm crease in her brow.

"You leave Serena alone!" said Bonnie.

"Although I appreciate you getting us in here, it appears obvious that you're aggravating Serena, and we will not stand for it!" said Clemont.

"Whatever your problem is, now is not the time!" said Korrina. "Settle it later!"

Miette smirked.

"Oh, don't worry. We will."

She took one last lingering glance at Serena.

"All's fair in love and war, isn't it?"

Miette turned, waved, and walked away. Serena was left seething, and the others, confused.

"What was all that about?" said Korrina.

"It's nothing," said Serena. "Come on."

"Indeed, we mustn't miss the start of the match!" said Clemont.

For as grand as Monego City was, the arena was rather small. The signs leading to the VIP box were easy to follow, their destination only a short distance away. Serena found that forcing herself to take the steps to get there was far more difficult.

Aria was waiting there. What was she going to do? What could she say? Would they pretend that nothing happened? It would be impossible. How could they ever face each other again?

When they reached the door to the box, Serena hesitated to turn the handle. It was only with Clemont's urging that they needed to hurry that she entered.

When she opened the door, the box was empty.

"It looks like we have this place to ourselves," said Clemont.

Serena stepped forward, inching toward the single row of seats, right in front of the window. She expected Aria to pop out of the shadows at any moment, despite there being no sign of her presence, nor anyone else at all.

"That's fine with me," said Korrina. "More room to stretch out! It's kinda cramped in those regular seats, you know?"

"We can cheer as loud as we want up here!" said Bonnie, jumping up and down. "We'll have to be extra loud so Ash can hear us!"

"That's the spirit!" said Korrina.

Stirred from his sleep, Dedenne poked his head out of Bonnie's bag, looking frazzled.

Serena wandered into the row of seats. They were all empty, not a bag, nor a hat, nor any sign of a person at all. Aria wasn't there.

The window in the front of the box had no glass in it, open to the outside. Serena held onto the frame and leaned slightly out of it, looking down to the battlefield below.

On one side, Ash stood with Pikachu atop his shoulder, his fists clenched with visible excitement. On the other side, Siebold stood with his arms folded behind his back, calm and still. Camera crews milled about around them, fitting both of them with microphones.

Serena remembered Alain from the Kalos League. Not even he had been so imposing. For the first time, she wondered if Ash could actually win this battle. Siebold's mere presence was tremendous, that of someone who was quietly in possession of dangerous power. She was sure Ash could feel it, the very same pressure she felt. She was sure he was reveling in it.

The stadium announcer began the introductions. The words went in one of Serena's ears and out the other. She couldn't concentrate. She scanned the crowd for any sign of Miette.

Her heart sank when she found her. Just as advertised, Miette was in the front row, as close as she could be to Ash.

Serena gripped the window frame tighter.

"Are you okay?"

Korrina came up next to her, joining her leaning against the window frame.

Serena met eyes with her for a brief moment, then looked away. She couldn't take her eyes off Miette.

"No," Serena said.

"Is it that Miette girl?"

Serena huffed as she let out a sharp breath.

"Yes! She's trying to ruin everything!"

"Is she going to mess with Ash's battle or something?"

"Not exactly. She-"

Serena ran a hand over the back of her neck. She slumped her shoulders and sighed.

"You guys, I can't take this anymore."

Serena turned around. Korrina, Clemont, and Bonnie were all staring back at her.

"What do you mean?" said Clemont.

"I have so much to explain."

Korrina glanced out the window.

"Are you sure now is the time?" she said.

"It has to be," said Serena. "I can't do this anymore. I can't keep all these secrets."

"Ooh! What secrets?" Bonnie said, bouncing in her seat.

"I-"

Serena bit her tongue. She wondered why it wasn't getting any easier to say it.

"I'm in love with Ash."

Bonnie squealed. Korrina smirked, folding her arms.

"We know," she said.

"You do?"

"Well, you already told me," said Clemont. "You made your feelings for Ash quite clear right after we arrived."

"Clemont! Did you tell them?"

"No, quite the contrary!" Clemont said, showing his hands in surrender. "Korrina and Bonnie both arrived at that conclusion on their own! I merely confirmed it when Korrina asked."

"It was obvious," said Korrina.

Serena turned red. Bonnie jumped all around the box, Dedenne loudly complaining as he was shaken inside her bag.

On the battlefield, Ash and Siebold were meeting at the middle for a handshake.

"So much for secrets, huh?" said Korrina.

"There's… more than that."

"Did you kiss him?" said Bonnie.

"Bonnie! That's personal!" said Clemont.

Serena held her hand to her collarbone. There was no ribbon, nothing familiar at all to steady her today.

"No, I haven't. But Miette is going to if Ash wins today."

Three confused faces stared back at her.

"She's going to _what?_ " said Korrina.

"She wants the cameras to catch her kissing Ash if he wins. She's in the front row, on his side. Look!"

Clemont and Bonnie joined Serena and Korrina by the window.

"I see her!" said Bonnie.

"Indeed, as do I," said Clemont. "She's in an optimal position to run onto the field to meet him if that is what she intends to do."

Serena bit her lip. Clemont's realism was not helping.

"I don't know what to do. I can't let Miette get to him. Ash might not win, but if he does, I can't afford to take that chance."

"Does Ash know how you feel about him?" Korrina said.

"He does. We talked about it last night, on the beach."

Clemont scratched his cheek, looking rather red.

"What a coincidence!" he said. "We also had a rather personal conversation last night!"

Serena ignored Clemont's awkwardness. She was content to leave her explanation at that, but she was pressed for details.

"What did he say?" Korrina asked.

Serena looked Korrina in the eye, but then pursed her lips and looked away. Ash and Siebold were taking their places on their respective sides of the field again.

"He said a lot of things."

"Does he feel the same way about you?"

"Maybe? It's complicated."

"Maybe?" Korrina said. "He either loves you or he doesn't!"

Clemont scratched his head, still looking nervous.

"Honestly, a noncommittal response sounds exactly like what I would expect out of Ash in such a situation. Romance is such a foreign concept to him that it's a minor miracle he understood you at all. That is, assuming he did."

Serena clenched her hands on the window frame.

"He did. I know he did. Tonight, at the bonfire, we'll figure it all out. I just can't let Miette get to him before then! Not after everything I've been through to get this far."

"Hmm," Clemont hummed.

Serena glanced at him.

"Do you have an invention for this exact situation, like always?"

"Unfortunately, I'm afraid I don't," said Clemont. "It may be better that way, though. I doubt that the stadium staff, nor the local police, would take kindly to an explosion."

"Oh, brother…" Bonnie groaned.

Korrina laughed while Clemont shrugged. Serena glued her eyes to the field. It was time. Ash and Siebold's voices came over the speakers.

"Noivern, I choose you!"

"Clawitzer."

The crowd began stirring at the selection of their first Pokémon. Clawitzer hovered eerily in front of Siebold, while Noivern took to the sky on Ash's side of the field. On the field's center line, the referee raised a flag.

" _Begin!"_

"Noivern, Boomburst!"

"Clawitzer, Dragon Pulse."

Noivern's ears began to glow and vibrate. At the same time, Clawitzer's massive claw began charging a shot like a cannon. Purple energy formed from nowhere and filled in the gap between the pincers, forming into a violet ball.

Up in the box, Serena covered her ears. She knew what was coming.

Noivern fired. A tremendous blast of sound waves shot from his ears toward Clawitzer. The stadium shook under Serena's feet.

Clawitzer didn't even blink. Neither did Siebold, who still stood like a statue, with his arms behind his back. Taking aim, Clawitzer raised his claw and fired.

The ground rumbled. Clawitzer's Dragon Pulse was as loud as Noivern's Boomburst. The ball of violet energy turned into a brilliant white beam as it streaked toward its target. Serena winced and shut her eyes, the light leaving spots in her vision.

"Dodge it!"

Boomburst met Dragon Pulse in midair. Noivern's attack was torn through, blown away. By the narrowest of margins, Noivern flew out of the way of the incoming pulse, the dangerous beam of light passing just beneath his belly.

Serena's jaw dropped.

"Unreal!" said Korrina.

"What incredible power!" said Clemont. "I suppose I should have expected as much from Siebold, but even for a member of the Elite Four, that was an astonishing attack!"

Serena was astonished, as well, and not in a good way. The way the light from the Dragon Pulse lingered in her eyes made her queasy.

She wondered if Ash understood what he had gotten himself into.

"Acrobatics!"

Noivern went transparent and zipped across the arena at an amazing speed. Neither Siebold nor Clawitzer moved. Siebold didn't even speak. Clawitzer began charging another attack. Again, his claw filled with a sphere of violet energy. It was another Dragon Pulse.

"Noivern, watch out! Get out of there!"

With no time to spare, Noivern pulled off his course. He was much too close. Using the speed of Acrobatics, he swerved past Clawitzer right as the Dragon Pulse was fired.

Clawitzer spun around, following Noivern's path. As he re-aimed the beam, it grazed the ground, digging out a trench as he turned. The beam followed Noivern up into the air, trailing just behind him.

When the Dragon Pulse faded, Serena could see that Ash was stunned. Noivern was holding his position, hovering while waiting for another command.

Clawitzer was not waiting.

The words came to Serena's mouth before she could stop herself.

"Ash! Do something!"

Her words went unheard. Ash hesitated for a moment longer.

"Acrobatics! Dodge! Then use Boomburst!"

Another Dragon Pulse lit up the arena, streaking into the sky. Noivern turned transparent again and zipped out of the way just before the beam struck.

Again, Clawitzer chased him with the attack. His tracking was closer this time.

The instant the beam faded, Noivern began charging a Boomburst in his ears.

"Get close!"

Noivern swooped in toward Clawitzer as the blast charged. As he approached, it was clear that Clawitzer was preparing yet another Dragon Pulse.

Siebold had not said a word, nor even emoted. He continued to stand there, expressionless, following the battle with his eyes.

Boomburst fired. Noivern was right beside Clawitzer. The attack was a direct hit. Clawitzer was pushed back through the air, struggling to stay upright as he continued to charge Dragon Pulse. He was turning, slowly getting into position to fire.

"Acrobatics! Get out of there!"

Noivern disappeared as the blinding light of the Dragon Pulse washed everything out again. Once more, Clawitzer followed Noivern's movements.

This time, the Dragon Pulse clipped his wing.

Serena gasped. Noivern tumbled through the air, falling from the sky.

"Supersonic!"

Serena covered her ears again. Even the intense volume of the other attacks was nothing compared to the grating sound of Supersonic. She squinted as she watched Noivern screech, trying to right himself as he fell.

The supersonic swept over Clawitzer. The Dragon Pulse he was charging vanished into thin air.

At once, Clawitzer's demeanor changed. Previously unmoving, calm, the perfect mirror image of his trainer, he began to spasm and thrash about. The confusion had set in. The attack had worked.

Noivern landed, roughly, but upright. He shook his wings, ready to take flight again.

Ash pumped his fist.

"Alright! Noivern, use Dragon Claw!"

Noivern took off again and flew straight toward Clawitzer, his own claws aglow, ready to strike.

Siebold did not move, but he finally spoke again.

"Aura Sphere."

Clawitzer began charging another attack in his claw, this one a brilliant shade of bright blue. Noivern closed in. Clawitzer wasn't even close to facing the correct way, still lost in confusion.

It didn't matter.

Noivern's Dragon Claw was a direct hit. He landed a strong blow right on Clawitzer's head. As he pulled away, Clawitzer fired the Aura Sphere, in a completely wrong direction.

And then the attack turned around in midair.

"Noivern, watch out!"

There was no time for the warning to be helpful. Before Noivern could look over his shoulder, the Aura Sphere had caught up to him. It struck him in the center of his back. He let out a cry as he was thrown to the ground.

Dust kicked up. Serena clenched the window frame in her grip. There was no sign that Noivern was getting up. Just as before, Clawitzer was charging another attack without Siebold giving a command.

Serena held her breath. Through the fading dust, Noivern was back on his feet, but still not in the air. Clawitzer fired.

Again, the sphere changed direction in midair.

This time, it returned to its sender.

Clawitzer was struck by his own attack. While he rolled over several times before coming to a halt, Noivern took flight again.

"Boomburst!"

Both Noivern and Clawitzer prepared their attacks. At the same time, they fired. Once again, even though Clawitzer was completely backward in confusion, the Aura Sphere turned in midair and found its target.

The Boomburst and the Aura Sphere met in midair. The Aura Sphere cut right through, and the two attacks, in a diminished state, continued on toward their targets. Clawitzer took a direct, although weak hit.

"Noivern! Take that Aura Sphere back to Clawitzer! Acrobatics!"

Noivern went transparent and accelerated at a tremendous speed. The Aura Sphere followed as he circled the arena and then dove toward Clawitzer.

Just as he began his dive, Clawitzer stopped thrashing about, becoming steady again.

Siebold issued another command.

"Dragon Pulse."

Serena's heart stood still. For a mere fraction of a second, Noivern hesitated. Ash raised his hand as if to give another command, but no words left his mouth.

Trapped between two attacks, Noivern tried to swerve out of the way. It was too late.

The Aura Sphere struck him in the back, sending him careening directly into the oncoming Dragon Pulse. There was an awful cry, followed by Noivern's limp form falling, with no sign of movement.

Before Noivern could crash to the ground, Ash fired his Poké Ball. The red beam of light retrieved Noivern before any more damage was done.

Serena clutched her heart.

Bonnie had tears in her eyes.

"Is Noivern gonna be okay?" she asked.

Clemont put a hand on her shoulder.

"I trust that Siebold and Clawitzer know how to hold back so as not to seriously injure opposing Pokémon. Noivern should be fine, I hope."

Serena was beyond hope. Clawitzer's display of power was unlike anything she had ever seen. Despite being confused for half the battle and taking several hits, Clawitzer did not look much worse for the wear.

It was impossible. There was no way Ash had improved enough in the last two weeks to win this battle.

"Pikachu, I choose you!"

Pikachu hopped onto the battlefield. The skin on Serena's arms and neck tingled, the hairs standing on end. Her hopelessness felt so foolish. Pikachu _lived_ to do the impossible.

"Quick Attack!"

"Aura Sphere."

Pikachu's natural speed made Noivern's best efforts look amateurish in comparison. Before Siebold could finish speaking, Pikachu had already made contact with Clawitzer.

"Grab on! Use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu grabbed onto Clawitzer's carapace. There was no way to counterattack. Clawitzer could not turn his claw to face Pikachu. The Aura Sphere was charged, but Clawitzer did not fire. He would hit himself if he tried.

Pikachu's cheeks sparked, and an arc of electricity connected him to Clawitzer. Convulsing as the attack coursed through his body, Clawitzer lost control of the Aura Sphere and fired. Immediately, it turned around and struck him in the face.

Unscathed, Pikachu leaped away. Clawitzer was leaning to one side, weighed down by his heavy claw and unable to support it.

"Pikachu, Electro Ball!"

Immobile, Clawitzer offered no resistance as Pikachu delivered the finishing blow. The Electro Ball sent Clawitzer crashing to the ground, crackling with sparks.

On the opposite side of the field, Pikachu landed on all fours, untouched.

The crowd roared. Moving for the first time since the battle began, Siebold reached for a Poké Ball and returned Clawitzer to it.

"Impressive, young man."

Ash looked quite proud of himself. Grinning, he rubbed a finger under his nose.

"Thanks!"

Siebold placed Clawitzer's ball inside the pouch in his apron, and he pulled out another. Holding it in one hand by his side, he tucked his other arm behind his back and spoke again.

"There is a question I enjoy asking many of my official challengers, regarding whether or not they feel Pokémon battles can be considered a form of art. I will not waste my breath on asking you, however. I already know how you would answer."

"You do?"

"Yes, I do, and your question in return only confirms what I suspected - that you would not know how to answer at all."

Serena saw Ash's jaw clench.

"I, for one, am of the opinion that Pokémon battles most certainly are a form of art," Siebold continued. "My preferred analogy is a comparison to my own profession. Cooking is considered an art form, and much like food, a Pokémon battle vanishes from existence as soon as you've finished enjoying it."

Siebold tilted his head forward, giving Ash a level glance. Ash, in return, tightened his brow, and his fists.

"Life is full of fleeting experiences, young man. Many of them are unremarkable, unmemorable. As an artist, I live my life in pursuit of those few fleeting moments which _are_ memorable to someone. I live for the satisfaction of hearing that a meal I have prepared is the finest of someone's life. A temporary experience, yet one which will stay with them forever. That, truly, is art."

"What does this have to do with our battle?"

"A great deal more than you realize. This battle may prove to be nothing more than a brief meeting on an unremarkable day in both of our lives. If it is to prove to be anything else, it will be in the same way by which food is remembered - that is, by the extremes."

"The extremes?"

"Yes. I am certain that you, as do many, can remember the spiciest dish you have ever eaten. Far less likely, then, that you remember what you ate for dinner last Tuesday. This is the fundamental struggle of a chef, for I must try to create something extraordinary every day, something to be remembered forever out of something that both comes into existence and then disappears in a matter of minutes. I must always push extremes, knowing when to apply them and when to avoid them. Between extremes, I find balance. You, young man, think you are doing the same, but that is not the truth of the matter."

Siebold tossed his second Poké Ball onto the battlefield. A Gyarados emerged from it, casting a shadow as it towered over the battlefield.

"You have not learned how to balance extremes, only to blend them. You and your Pokémon both seek to be impossibly fast and punishingly powerful, without sacrificing anything. I regret to inform you that a strategy so lacking in nuance can only take you so far."

Siebold tucked his hands behind his back again.

"You may have made it this far, but should you continue down that shortsighted path, all your efforts will not be enough."

A shiver went down Serena's spine.

Ash grimaced as he reached for the brim of his hat and turned it around on his head.

"We'll show you _exactly_ how far our power can take us!"

"I have no doubt you will."

"Pikachu, Electro Ball!"

"Dragon Dance."

Pikachu jumped high into the air, a ball of electricity condensing at the tip of his tail. As he rose, so did Gyarados. For a moment, the two were eye to eye, but then Pikachu began to fall as Gyarados rose higher still.

Stretched to his full height, towering over the arena floor, Gyarados levitated as he writhed and gyrated in the air. A crackling red energy emanated from his body. The arena was cast in shadow as he blotted out the sun.

The sky turned red. Serena felt sick to her stomach.

Pikachu flipped over in the air and flung the Electro Ball at Gyarados. Before the attack could land, Gyarados' dance ended. As he fell back to the arena floor, he swatted Pikachu's Electro Ball away with his tail.

The Electro Ball rocketed back at Pikachu. With not a moment to spare, he landed and put his tail in the way of the ball of electricity. Like a lightning rod, he caught it, shaking as sparks roiled up and down his body.

He stood facing Gyarados, his cheeks sparking furiously.

"How?!" Korrina said. "Gyarados is super weak to electric attacks!"

"Electro Ball becomes more powerful the faster the user is compared to their opponent," Clemont said, "but Dragon Dance increases both strength _and_ speed!"

Serena's knuckles were white on the window frame.

The stadium went into a hush, and Siebold spoke again.

"There are those who believe that if brute force is not working, then you are not using enough of it. Those people are fools. Brute force _is_ a valid tool, but only when applied correctly. All this time, you have been masking your own love of brute force, yet your ironic inability to withstand it, with brilliant speed. Let us see how you conduct yourself in a situation in which someone beats you at your own game."

"You haven't beaten us yet, and you're not going to! Pikachu, Quick Attack!"

"Dragon Dance."

Nothing more than a yellow blur, Pikachu covered the arena floor in an instant and grabbed onto Gyarados' body. A moment later, Gyarados began to twist and contort again as he rose into the air.

"Hang on, Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu was far too busy attempting to hang on to attempt to launch an attack. Gyarados' gyrations moved at an otherworldly speed, threatening to throw him off at any second.

Gyarados landed, the arena floor rumbling.

"Earthquake."

"Pikachu! Into the air, now!"

Leaping from Gyarados' tail, Pikachu turned his own tail a metallic color and pushed off from the ground with it, launching himself into the air. The arena shook, Ash bracing himself with his hands on his knees.

Siebold remained still, refusing to move.

Serena's fingers ached from how hard she gripped the window frame, hoping the arena was built to withstand such an attack.

"Iron Tail!"

"Ice Fang."

Falling from a great height, Pikachu maneuvered himself into position to deliver a powerful strike with his metallic tail. As he fell, the shaking subsided, and Gyarados' breath became visible.

Pikachu swung. Gyarados caught the attack in his frozen teeth.

Gasps echoed through the arena.

Gritting his teeth, Ash stared wide-eyed at Pikachu's predicament. His tail was trapped between Gyarados' jaws. If he released his Iron Tail attack, he would risk losing his tail entirely.

Ash gave Pikachu no command.

Without Siebold calling a command of his own, Gyarados swung his head and sent Pikachu crashing to the floor, far on the other side of the arena.

"Waterfall."

While Pikachu struggled to get on his feet again, Gyarados became wrapped in water and lowered himself to the arena floor. Slithering at an incredible speed, Gyarados closed the distance between them and collided with Pikachu, surging into the air with a rush of water. The two of them were thrown into the sky above the battlefield.

"Dragon Dance."

Once again, Gyarados gyrated in the air, emanating a powerful red energy. Pikachu hurtled through the sky, trying to gain control of himself.

When Gyarados' dance ended, Pikachu landed atop the arena's floodlights. Crouched on all fours, he breathed heavily.

Gyarados coiled on the ground, prepared to launch another attack.

"Pikachu! Iron Tail!"

Siebold shook his head.

"Ice Fang."

Pikachu leaped from the arena lights and came falling from the sky, tail aglow. Gyarados waited below with welcoming teeth.

Serena could feel her hope fading again. There was no way this attack would be enough.

"Pikachu, Quick Attack, now! Into its mouth!"

Pikachu dropped the Iron Tail attack, his tail returning to its normal color. Instead, he turned into a yellow blur, streaking across the arena sky.

And right past Gyarados' teeth, into his mouth.

Serena yelped, as did many throughout the arena. Right away, Gyarados' eyes shot open wide as he recoiled in surprise.

"Thunderbolt!"

For a split second, there was silence. Then, Gyarados was consumed by electricity, spewing lightning from his mouth. Convulsing, he gave a desperate roar, then collapsed to the ground with a massive crash.

There was stunned silence. Gyarados did not move.

Then, cheers erupted as Pikachu came crawling out of Gyarados' mouth.

Korrina gripped Serena by the shoulder as she cheered. Jumping up and down, she pulled Clemont in alongside her, shaking him so much that his glasses fell off.

Serena could do nothing but try her best to stay on her feet as she reeled from shock. It was unbelievable.

Limping back to Ash's side of the battlefield, Pikachu received a standing ovation. He smiled back at the crowd, and Ash knelt down to pick him up.

Siebold retrieved Gyarados with his Poké Ball. Once again, he exchanged it for another in his apron.

"Unconventional, but very impressive," he said. "I must confess, before we began, I viewed the first two acts of our battle as a mere formality. As such, I think I need to heed my own words about the application of brute force. Now, if you would like, perhaps we can move on to what we have both been anticipating."

Siebold tossed the ball onto the battlefield. A Blastoise emerged, one which was wearing a gem embedded in a crown.

"Or, if you insist, I can have Blastoise deliver the _coup de grâce_ to Pikachu. The choice is yours."

Ash looked at Pikachu in his arms.

"I'm switching Pikachu out. We can move on."

Pikachu returned to his usual spot on Ash's shoulder, receiving another cheer from the crowd. Ash removed one last ball from his belt, and he threw it onto the field.

Greninja emerged, immediately locking eyes with Blastoise and assuming a fighting stance.

Clemont crawled on the floor, feeling for his glasses.

"Bonnie, can you help me, please? I- Ah, there they are!"

Clemont slipped his glasses back on, blinking several times.

"Bonnie?"

Both Serena and Korrina turned, looking at Clemont. He knelt as he stared at the door.

It was wide open. Bonnie was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is she?" Korrina said.

"I don't know!" Clemont said, scrambling to his feet. "She was here one minute and gone the next!"

Clemont ran to the open door, looking out onto the concourse.

"Bonnie! Where are you?!"

He turned around and looked back at Serena and Korrina, grabbing fistfuls of his hair.

"We have to find her!"

Clemont pulled a Poké Ball out of his pocket and opened it. Luxray emerged from it.

"Luxray, we have to find Bonnie!"

Korrina ran to the door. Serena took a step, then hesitated.

"You stay here," Korrina said. "We'll be fine. She can't have gotten very far."

Luxray was already out the door. Korrina nudged Clemont out as well, and they all disappeared onto the concourse, calling Bonnie's name.

Serena was left alone. It was just her, watching Ash and Siebold as if they were on a stage, performing only for her.

Despite the absence of the ribbon, she held both hands at her collarbone. She would have to pretend it was there. It would have to be enough.

"Shall we?" Siebold asked. As he spoke, he took hold of the brooch which was securing his necktie. A large, multicolored gem was embedded in it.

Ash took off his hat and tossed it aside.

"You bet."

Ash and Greninja both were enveloped by a familiar aura, performing their perfected transformation once again. Opposite them, Siebold touched two of his fingers to the gem on his brooch. It illuminated, and the gem on Blastoise's crown responded in kind. Blastoise was wrapped in a polychromatic light, and a few seconds later, emerged transformed.

While Greninja stood tall, sleek, and nimble, Blastoise opposed him as the precise opposite. Looking much bulkier now, Blastoise appeared ready to buckle under the weight of the new heavy cannon he supported on his back and his wrists.

The excitement of the crowd was palpable. Serena had to remind herself to breathe.

This was it.

"When you are ready," Siebold said, giving Ash a nod.

"We're always ready! Greninja, Water Shuriken!"

"Withdraw."

Greninja shot into the air, his powerful legs propelling him like a rocket. Conjuring several stars of water, he threw them at Blastoise, each of them like a liquid saw blade cutting through the sky.

Blastoise merely pulled his head and limbs into his shell and crouched.

The shuriken bounced off, leaving not a scratch.

"Aerial Ace!"

"Skull Bash."

In an instant, Greninja had disappeared and then reappeared behind Blastoise. Though the attack appeared to be a direct hit, Blastoise didn't even blink. Instead, with unexpected speed, he spun around and sent his head crashing into Greninja's back.

Greninja let out a stunned cry and staggered forward, spinning around to face his opponent.

Blastoise was already in position to make another move.

"Dragon Pulse."

It was like Clawitzer all over again. Blastoise raised one arm, the cannon on his wrist filling with violet energy.

From the brightness alone, Serena knew it was even more powerful.

"Dodge!"

Blastoise fired. Launching himself into the sky again, Greninja cleared the height of the arena in an instant and flipped through the air. A brilliant beam of vaguely purple light followed his every movement, always a mere fraction of a second behind him.

The pulse faded, and Greninja landed a short distance in front of Blastoise.

"Cut!"

"Skull Bash."

Greninja charged at Blastoise, poised to strike. When he arrived at his target, his preferred point of attack was nowhere to be found. Blastoise had once again pulled his head back into his shell.

"Get down!"

Greninja ducked underneath Blastoise, sliding between his legs just as his head came surging out of his shell. Avoiding what surely would have been a crushing blow, Greninja instead struck from underneath.

Blastoise was knocked over, rolling onto his back.

Greninja once again took to the air. A nervous chatter took over the stadium. Blastoise did not appear able to stand back up. He was stuck on his back, rocking back and forth as he tried to roll over.

"Water Shuriken! Give it all you've got!"

Greninja removed the massive star from his back, and it began to glow. Serena bit her lip as Greninja fell back toward the ground, weapon in hand, ready to deliver a decisive blow. Blastoise was exposed, unable to defend himself.

But it wasn't enough.

"Water Pulse, on the ground."

Aiming his wrist cannons at the ground, Blastoise fired two powerful shots in tandem. Gasps echoed through the arena. Against all odds, Blastoise could also defy gravity.

"Withdraw."

Blastoise pulled into his shell. Turning himself into a massive projectile, he launched into the sky, ready to meet Greninja on the way down.

"Forget Water Shuriken! Land on Blastoise's shell and jump off!"

Greninja reattached the shuriken to his back and crouched. A second later, he and Blastoise met in midair. Landing in a three-point stance on Blastoise's back, Greninja pushed off, sending Blastoise falling back to the ground, and himself soaring even higher.

The ground shook upon Blastoise's impact. Landing right side up, Blastoise was back on his feet in no time at all.

"Dragon Pulse."

Serena wondered if Siebold had any other strategy. Yet again, Blastoise charged up a Dragon Pulse and fired at Greninja, chasing him through the air. Deftly flipping and rolling, Greninja was always just ahead of the vicious beam.

"Aerial Ace!"

"Rapid Spin."

Greninja vanished and then came back into sight in the blink of an eye, like always. Unlike every other time, though, he did not reappear behind his target. Instead, he was thrown away, off to the side of the field, Blastoise deflecting the blow by spinning like a top.

While Greninja righted himself and got back on his feet, Siebold called another move.

"Water Pulse."

Two shots fired from the cannons on Blastoise's wrists. Though not particularly effective, the shots made Greninja stop in his tracks and shield himself, pinned against one of the battlefield's exterior walls.

"Dragon Pulse."

"Jump! Now!"

Blastoise charged and fired, the beam following Greninja through the air. Just as with Clawitzer's attacks, Blastoise's aim was coming ever closer to hitting its mark with each successive attack.

To Serena, it was all too clear. Siebold was attempting to tire out Greninja. Blastoise was barely moving, and barely taking damage. Ash was losing a battle against time.

Greninja landed, but there was no time to rest.

"Water Pulse."

Two more concussive shots of water were fired, and a second later, they scoured the ground where Greninja had stood.

Dashing across the battlefield, Greninja readied another attack, conjuring stars of water in his hands.

"Water Shuriken!"

"Withdraw."

Blastoise hit the ground as he quickly pulled all his extremities into his shell. As before, the shuriken bounced off, harmless.

"Again! Inside the shell! Make it a big one, and aim for the head!"

Standing right in front of Blastoise, Greninja removed the shuriken from his back. It began to glow as he held it high, ready to plunge it into the depths of Blastoise's shell.

"Hydro Pump."

Ash's shoulders slumped. Serena felt her stomach sink as she watched the realization dawn on Ash that Greninja was standing directly in front of a cannon, the single, massive cannon on Blastoise's back, which Siebold had pointedly neglected to use this entire time.

Energy condensed in the mouth of the giant cannon. Serena held her breath.

"Block it! Plug the cannon! Now!"

Redirecting his attack, Greninja shoved the giant shuriken deep into the mouth of Blastoise's giant cannon, wedging it in place.

There was a tremendous explosion. Water turned to mist, and dirt mixed with raw energy, a shockwave shaking the entire arena. In the instant before everything was obscured from sight, Serena saw Blastoise rolling over backward, and Greninja being thrown the opposite direction like a ragdoll.

When the shaking stopped, and the dust and the haze cleared, the battlefield looked quite different than before. A crater now marked the center. Blastoise had been blown some distance away. Visibly scarred from the backfire, he slowly rose to his feet.

Greninja, meanwhile, was all the way against the far wall of the battlefield. His back against it, he struggled to his feet. Ash, likewise, was knocked flat on his back, also slow to rise. Hands on his knees as he pushed himself up from the ground, he called to Greninja.

"Greninja, can you stand?"

Supporting himself with one hand against the wall, Greninja got both of his feet under himself again.

Siebold, meanwhile, was still standing there like a statue, refusing to move.

"Unorthodox, I must admit. Clever, but far too reckless. Your battle style lacks balance. Your only defense is your offense. You are not battling your opponent. You are battling yourself. You have made yourself into your enemy. You cannot fight fatigue forever, and you cannot fight time."

Ash's grimace turned into a smirk.

"We're not even close to done yet, are we?"

Greninja nodded at Ash, and in a single bound, jumped back into the fray.

Siebold's eyes narrowed.

"We will see. Dragon Pulse."

"Wait for it!"

Greninja closed his eyes. Hands folded in concentration, he stood still. Blastoise held out one arm, the cannon on his wrist filling with violet light.

The beam fired.

"Double Team!"

Instantly, dozens upon dozens of copies of Greninja appeared all over the arena. On the ground, in the air, surrounding Blastoise from every angle.

The Dragon Pulse ripped through the original image of Greninja. There was nothing there.

"Dark Pulse. All directions."

Blastoise stretched his arms out, pointing them both to the sides. A Dark Pulse was fired from both cannons, each one radiating outward as a wave. The two waves met and expanded into a hemisphere, rising toward the sky. As it expanded, the Dark Pulse obliterated every copy of Greninja it touched.

Every last one.

The Dark Pulse dissipated. Blastoise stood alone on the battlefield. Greninja was nowhere in sight.

"Hydro Cannon. Blast the crater."

An intense sphere of energy condensed in Blastoise's main cannon. From high above, Serena could see what lay below. She could see what Siebold could not. Greninja was not at the bottom of the crater. He wasn't anywhere.

It was just like when Ash battled Korrina.

A deafening blast echoed through the arena. Blastoise fired, the Hyrdo Cannon exploding in the crater, expanding it even further. Chunks of earth and droplets of water sprayed everywhere. Greninja was nowhere to be seen.

"Cut!"

As if stepping out from a shadow, Greninja emerged from nothing. Crouching beneath Blastoise, his skin seemed to turn from translucent to opaque. Holding his blade at the ready, he jumped.

Blastoise could not respond in time, nor at all. He took the hit directly to the neck. Staggering, he keeled over backward.

"Aerial Ace!"

"Rapid Spin."

Greninja struck. This time, it was not him who went flying, but rather Blastoise. For a moment, Blastoise spun through the air, then abruptly snapped to a stop, emerging from his shell right side up again. He landed firmly on the ground.

"Water Shuriken!"

"Water Pulse."

The star on Greninja's back quickly regenerated, and he removed it again. Throwing it, the shuriken glowed as it split the air.

Blastoise fired a quick shot from one of his wrist cannons. The attacks collided, and the shuriken came flying back to Greninja. Catching it, Greninja reattached it to his back and charged.

"Aerial Ace!"

"Skull Bash."

"Water Shuriken! Block it!"

Greninja vanished. When he reappeared behind Blastoise, he found his opponent ready and waiting. Wasting no time, Greninja again removed the shuriken from his back and drove it into Blastoise's head. The two attacks stalled against each other. For a few seconds, there was a standoff.

"Water Pulse."

With neither of Blastoise's hands occupied, was all too easy for him to fire on Greninja at point-blank range. There was no time to react.

The shot rang out, and Greninja went flying.

"Greninja!"

Greninja landed roughly, crashing to the ground at the bottom of the crater. Ash toppled over, falling onto his backside.

Serena's breaths were rapid and shallow. Neither Greninja nor Ash could stand.

On the other side of the field, Siebold finally moved. Stepping forward with one foot and extending one arm with an open palm, he called his final attack.

"Hydro Pump!"

Serena's heart thundered in her chest. Blastoise's massive cannon charged. Greninja was on his hands and knees, trapped in the crater. Ash was flat on his back, unable to sit upright.

Frozen in time, Serena caught sight of a commotion down below in the stands. In the periphery of her vision, she saw Clemont and Korrina being dragged away by security, Luxray growling at the guards.

" _Bonnie! Get back here this instant!"_

Far at the front of the section, Serena saw Miette, her eyes glued to the action on the field. Lost in the battle, she remained unaware as Dedenne scampered up her back.

Blastoise fired.

Ash sat upright.

Greninja sat down.

Both closed their eyes.

Dedenne nuzzled into Miette's neck.

The Hydro Pump roared. A moment later, Ash's eyes opened wide.

"Now!"

The torrent of water cascaded into the crater. The instant it was at Greninja's feet, he fired his own Water Pulse directly downward.

Greninja rose into the air, riding atop a massive wave, the Hydro Pump transformed. Towering over the battlefield like a tsunami, the wave broke, crashing toward Blastoise.

Greninja vanished. An instant later, he reappeared behind Blastoise. His opponent knocked flat on his back, Greninja folded his hands, bowed his head, and closed his eyes.

The crashing water swallowed them whole.

Down below, Miette convulsed as sparks consumed her body.

The wave spread over the battlefield. Water swirled around Siebold's legs, drenching his feet. He stood still in the chaos, watchful, waiting.

The water settled, then began to vanish. Alone, standing in the exact same spot, was Greninja. He had refused to move.

Blastoise had been swept away. He lay motionless on the far side of the field, returned to his normal form. His transformation had faded.

The battle was over.

The referee raised his flag, pointing to Ash. The crowd erupted. Down below, Miette fell over in her seat, twitching. From beneath her seat, Bonnie appeared, a huge grin on her face.

Both Ash and Greninja sighed, and their shared transformation faded. Still seated, Ash ran a hand through his hair. He stared ahead, dazed.

Pikachu, who had long since abandoned his post on Ash's shoulder, came scurrying up to him. For a moment, Ash remained lost in his thoughts, but upon feeling the touch, he ran his hand over Pikachu's head.

"We did it, buddy."

Slowly limping, Greninja made his way back over to Ash. On the other side, Siebold returned Blastoise to his ball. Placing the ball in his apron, he stepped onto the battlefield and walked toward Ash.

When he arrived on Ash's side of the field, he offered his hand. Ash looked up at him, then accepted the offer.

Siebold pulled Ash up to his feet. Once Ash was standing, Siebold did not let go. He met Ash's eyes and gave him a polite nod.

"Well done."

At that, the two shook hands, and Siebold walked away, removing the microphone from his collar as he left. A few seconds later, he was accosted by reporters and cameras.

And so was Ash.

One lucky reporter got to him first.

"Alexa!"

Alexa came up next to him, placing one hand behind his back. She beamed at the camera in front of them. Her voice echoed through the arena's speakers.

"Long time no see, Ash! Congrats on your victory! We're going live in five."

Up in the VIP box, Serena clasped her hands over her mouth. Her heart had either stopped or was beating so fast it felt like one continuous beat. She couldn't be sure. Ash had done it. He defeated a member of the Elite Four.

Miette was paralyzed in her seat. Bonnie had a triumphant grin on her face as Clemont's Aipom Arm reached over the crowd and plucked her away.

"All's fair in love and war!" Bonnie called as she waved goodbye to Miette. Atop her shoulder, Dedenne echoed her words.

Alexa's voice came over the speakers again, and a hush came over the arena.

"Alexa here, reporting live from the arena floor here in Monego City, where Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, of Kalos League and Team Flare Crisis fame, has just defeated Siebold of the Elite Four in an open challenge, using the very same move he used to cause the now-infamous Monego Mega Tsunami. Ash, what do you have to say about your stunning upset of one of the most powerful trainers in Kalos?"

Alexa placed her microphone in front of Ash's mouth.

"Uh…"

Ash scratched his head as he stared into the camera. He looked red in the face.

"I don't think it's an upset. I always knew I could win. I've been working really hard with my Pokémon to prepare for this, and it really paid off."

"Tell us, what did you do to prepare for this battle? Facing a member of the Elite Four is no ordinary challenge."

Ash thought for a moment.

"Well, I got a lot of help from my friends. My Pokémon all totally bought into what we were doing. We spent a lot of long nights training on the beach, and my friends did their best to understand and help me, too. I wish they were down here celebrating with me right now. They won this just as much as I did. I owe a big thanks to all of them. And-"

Ash hesitated. It looked like he was scanning the crowd.

"-and, one friend, most of all. She did so much for me. She taught me so much about myself. She showed me how to be determined, how to never give up, how to stay focused, how to have hope. She always helps me when I need it the most. I couldn't have done this without her."

" _Ash!"_

Serena began to turn red the second the word left her lips. Far below, Ash's eyes followed the sound of her voice all the way to its source. From what seemed like a world away, separated by a stage and another reality, his eyes found her.

"Serena!"

Serena waved. She didn't know what else to do. All over the arena, heads turned in her direction.

On the field, Ash removed a ball from his belt. He threw it into the air, and Talonflame emerged from it.

"Talonflame, go get Serena!"

Before Serena could protest, Talonflame was flapping his wings right in front of her, hovering outside the open window. He held his talons open as if inviting Serena to take hold.

Serena looked at the drop to the lower level. There was no way she could do this. It was insane.

And it was happening.

As she leaned out the window, without warning, Talonflame latched onto her arm. A moment later, she shrieked as she felt her feet leave the floor, her legs passing through the open window as Talonflame dragged her away.

All she could do was hold on and wait for the ride to be over. Gently, Talonflame carried her over the crowd. Hovering above where Ash and Alexa stood, he lowered Serena to the ground.

When Serena found her footing, she found herself face to face with Ash, along with Alexa and a cameraman, surrounded by a sea of people.

Breathless, she met eyes with Ash. He looked just as nervous as she felt.

"Ash."

"Serena."

There was a momentary pause, a hesitation between the two of them. In that moment, Serena knew.

She had waited long enough. The end was here.

She threw herself onto Ash, her arms securing him so he could never, ever escape her grasp again. Closing her eyes, she kissed him.

Cheers erupted all around. After a fraction of a second with no response from Ash, Serena felt his hands on her back, pulling her closer. The clicking of camera flashes went off all around them.

The war was over.

She won.

* * *

The afternoon passed like a whirlwind. Getting out of the arena was a nightmare. When Serena and Ash finally managed to escape the sea of people, they found Clemont, Bonnie, and Korrina all being escorted off the premises by security.

When they all reunited, the very first order of business became how hungry Ash was.

Ash was much too excited to sit still, so rather than try to take him to a proper restaurant, they got lunch from Korrina's favorite food truck once again.

At first, Serena wasn't sure she would be able to eat anything, so full of nerves. But after her first nibble, the second and third came easier, and then she found that she was perhaps hungrier than she had ever been before. Her stomach finally unclenching after weeks of stress and picked-over meals, she devoured her food. Even Ash was impressed.

After lunch, the others tactfully left Serena and Ash alone, taking Pikachu with them. For the first time since their arrival in Monego City, Serena found herself feeling genuinely happy. Not happiness mixed with apprehension or fear or doubt, but actual happiness, all on its own.

She and Ash walked along the waterfront, all by themselves, just another couple in the mass of tourists. At first, neither of them said anything. After a while, Ash began to talk about his battle, and soon, it was just like old times, with one vital difference - they were holding hands.

To Serena, it felt surreal. She felt giddy, almost like she could jump out of her own skin from excitement. If she had ever been happier, she had no idea when it could have been. Her dream of years was coming true, right before her eyes. She could see it. She could feel it. She held Ash's hand in her own. They were out on a walk - on a date? - in the most luxurious city in the world. She had kissed him. He kissed her back. It was happening.

It was so much, so fast. It was unbelievable. It was impossible. Things like this didn't happen to real people. They only happened in stories and movies. And yet, here she was. Ash was right there with her, linked by the hand.

Only twenty-four hours ago, she was shopping with Aria. Her chances with Ash were over, and perhaps even their friendship. And now, they were wandering through stores and chatting about anything and everything, hand in hand.

In one of the many gift shops they entered, there was a rack of postcards. Ash stopped to look.

A few moments later, he pulled one from the rack.

"Hey, it's the view we saw when we were on the train!"

Serena peeked over his shoulder and looked. There was no doubt. The scene on the postcard was the very same view they saw on the train, from the mouth of the mountain tunnel. Her brain struggled to comprehend that the day they saw that view was part of the very same trip they were still on now.

Ash smiled.

"You were right!" he said. "We really can get a postcard of it."

"Just a lucky guess," Serena said, shrugging. "I'm amazed you remember it."

Ash shifted awkwardly, holding a hand on the back of his neck.

"I had always kinda hoped we'd have time to look for one together. I just got sidetracked."

Serena raised an eyebrow at him. To say Ash had been sidetracked was quite an understatement.

"Do you want to get it?" she asked. "It's pretty cheap."

"Actually, I wanna get two."

"Two?"

"Yeah. One to send to my mom, and the other for you to keep. You know, since you lost all your stuff. I thought it might be nice for you to have something to remember this place."

Serena was certain she would not need a postcard to remember her time in Monego City, but Ash's idea was too sweet to refuse.

After they left the shop, Ash scribbled a letter to his mom on the back of the postcard, and they slipped it into the nearest mailbox.

From there, still hand in hand, they wandered back to the beach. The sun was nearing the horizon. People were gathering along the waterfront. A towering pile of firewood loomed in the distance, certain to be lit soon.

"So, what's the deal with this bonfire thing?" said Ash. "We write down our worries and throw them into the fire?"

"Yep! That's right."

"Kind of a weird thing to do, huh?"

"Maybe? I like the idea of it. It's supposed to be about letting go and starting over, like getting a fresh start."

"Huh. That's pretty neat, I guess."

"I think so, too! That's part of why I wanted you to come with me. I wanted us to have a chance to start all over again, together."

Ash scratched his head.

"Do we, uh, really need to start over again already? I thought we kinda did that earlier today."

Serena shook her head, laughing.

"Not _now!"_ she said. "When I invited you, we had a long way to go, but-"

Serena paused. In the distance, she could see a bench.

 _The_ bench.

"-but I like the way things have been going," she finished, quietly.

"Yeah, me too."

Serena pulled her hand away from Ash and walked toward the bench.

"Hey, where are you going?"

Serena wasn't listening. She broke into a run.

"The bonfire is the other way!"

There was no one sitting on the bench, nor was anyone she recognized nearby, but there was something that caught her attention.

Stuck to the back of the bench was an envelope, taped to the slats. There was no name on it, but rather a single letter.

 _S._

Biting her lip, Serena looked around, hoping no one would notice. She peeled the envelope away, taking it in her hands.

Ash caught up with her.

"What's that?"

Serena didn't answer. Her eyes glazed over as she stared.

Ash squinted.

" _S?_ Is it for you?"

Serena had no doubt it was for her.

Ash looked all around as if expecting to find someone who had dropped it.

"Who left it here?" he asked.

Serena also had no doubt who left it here. Here, on this particular bench. Even though it was just one singular letter, the handwriting was unmistakable.

There was no question it was for her, nor was there any question who left it for her. The only question was if she could bear to see what was inside of it. This couldn't be another trick. Not now.

But she had to know.

Hands trembling, she slid a finger under the flap and hastily tore the envelope open.

There was a neatly-folded letter inside. When Serena unfolded it, several other items and scraps of paper came tumbling out of it, scattering in the wind. She paid no attention as Ash went chasing after them.

A wall of familiar handwriting awaited her, the same neat cursive as always. Holding her breath, she read.

 _S.,_

 _My words fail me. I have never felt like I had so much to say and no idea what to say at the same time. Of all the mistakes I have made in my life, the greatest one by far is what I have done to you. I can only hope that whatever the future may hold for me, I never make a greater mistake, because I do not know how I would be able to live with myself. Likewise, I hope that whatever the future may hold for you, you are never again deceived or manipulated as I have done to you. You deserve better than that, certainly better than anything I could have offered you._

 _I am not going to beg you for forgiveness, nor even entertain the idea that I should be forgiven. As empty as these words may seem, I assure you that no one can punish me for what I have done more severely than I can punish myself. I know it was only yesterday when you learned the truth, but I am serious in saying that I am not certain I will ever be able to forgive myself for what I did. I regret my actions with an intensity I previously never knew existed. Though I fully expect that my word quite rightfully means nothing to you now, I would like to give it to you anyway._

 _From the depths of my heart, I am sorry. Merely offering my apologies will never be enough, but it is all I can do. So, if you will accept it, I apologize. If you will not accept it, I understand._

 _As a token of my apology, I have enclosed four train tickets home for you and your friends. I know that more of my machinations, real or perceived, are the last thing you need. However, it was my actions which placed you all in this situation, and so it feels like the right thing to do to help you all get out of it. I know it is only the beginning of the penance I must pay, and I am certain it gives you cause to feel wary, but I assure you this is not another scheme. I hope you can accept it._

 _I deliberately left the arena early today so as not to encounter you and your friends. I have no reason to believe that you, nor any of them, ever wish to see me again. On that note, though I would very much like to be able to cast my own worries into the bonfire tonight, I feel that it is not in my best interests, nor anyone else's, for me to be present tonight. So, if I may push my luck just one step further and absolutely no more, I have a request for you. Additionally enclosed is another sealed envelope, containing a list of everything I would like to let go. I would like to humbly request that you deposit it into the fire tonight on my behalf, and if you would be so kind, please not to read it. I understand that I am in no position to ask anything of you, but I have no other option._

 _I yearn for what could have been. If only I had your courage. If only I could have been honest, perhaps we could have had a real friendship. As hopeless as this may sound, I hope that one day, most likely a long time from now, we can be friends again. That decision, of course, is entirely yours to make._

 _As much as I wish we could have been friends, or more than friends, what hurts me the most is not the loss of those possible futures, but the loss of what was, for a brief moment in time, the closest thing to a genuine human connection I had experienced in many years. I understand that I am probably not the person you want to be hearing this from, but if this is to be my last correspondence with you, I feel that I must say it._

 _You are a wonderful person. No matter how selfish or worthless you ever may feel, rest assured that you are the farthest thing from either. You are selfless beyond measure. You are everything good in the world, more than I, or perhaps anyone, deserves. You are kind, you are beautiful, and you are stronger than anyone could ever imagine. No matter what, may you always remember this -_

 _You are enough._

 _May we meet again,_

 _A._

Clutching the letter in one hand, her eyes glued to it, Serena gripped the back of the bench with her other hand. Tears welled up in her eyes. They were not from sadness, nor from happiness nor anger, but from too much of everything all at once.

Her vision blurred, and she let her hand clutching the letter fall to her side. The tears fell with it.

There was no trick, and that was the cruelest trick of all.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Ash running back to her with a fistful of papers. She turned to look at him. When she saw the concern register on his face, he increased his pace.

"What happened?" Ash said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Serena couldn't even begin to think of what to say. She just stared at him, utterly lost.

Ash broke eye contact after a few moments and looked at the papers in his hand.

"And are these… tickets?" he said.

Serena looked. They were all there, just like Aria said. Four train tickets, and a sealed envelope.

After everything, after the final cut, there they were. Aria's final kindness, and her final request.

They were silent for a while. Ash put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her in close. Serena just stared and stared.

Finally, she whispered.

"How could she?"

Ash pulled back so he could look her in the eye.

"Huh?" he said.

"How could she…" Serena repeated, shaking her head.

Ash narrowed his eyes.

"What are you talking about? _Who_ are you talking about? What did the letter say?"

Serena looked down and realized she was still holding the letter firmly in her hand. It was crumpled from the pressure.

"Serena?"

Serena looked up and met Ash's eyes. She swallowed, then took a deep breath.

"I have so much to tell you."

* * *

Night fell.

Although Serena at first insisted that they not tell the others about Aria, Ash was having none of it. When Serena finished explaining what happened, he ran off to find everyone else. Left with no choice, Serena followed him.

Finally forced to confront the truth, she told her story to Clemont, Bonnie, and Korrina, begging them not to share the details with anyone. To her pleasant surprise, they all seemed to take her request seriously, even Bonnie.

Korrina insisted they all spend the night at her villa, rather than spend yet another night in a place they weren't supposed to be. Clemont volunteered to return to the hotel, where he collected their belongings with his Aipom Arm and returned the keys to the front desk.

Serena was grateful. She never wanted to set foot in there again. Aside from her Poké Balls, which they collected from the Pokémon Center, she didn't have any more belongings, anyway. Everything was destroyed.

Despite everything, as the darkness set in and the crowd on the beach began to thin, Serena felt a profound sense of relief. It was all out there now. All her secrets were secrets no more.

For a long time, she and Ash stood before the bonfire, holding hands as they watched the crackling flames. The flickering light cast long shadows behind them, stretching across the sand.

In the distance, near the water, Clemont walked along the beach with Korrina, hand in hand in the moonlight. Bonnie ran ahead of them, playing with Pikachu and Dedenne in the gentle surf.

"They're adorable, aren't they?" said Serena, breaking a long silence.

"Well, yeah. Pikachu and Dedenne are always cute."

"I mean Clemont and Korrina!"

"Oh! Uh… Yeah, I guess so."

"I almost can't believe everything that's happened since we came here. So much has changed."

"It's been a crazy two weeks, huh?"

"I see it, and I still can't believe it. At least Bonnie has taken it pretty well. You know, with her life's purpose being over now."

Ash laughed.

"Oh yeah, I hadn't thought of that! I wonder what she'll do now?"

"Who knows? If I know her, she'll probably find some other way to embarrass Clemont every day."

"I sure hope Clemont knows what he's getting himself into."

Serena eyed Ash suspiciously.

"Do _you_ know what you're getting yourself into?"

Ash tried to answer, but then let out an exasperated sigh.

"No, not really, but I like it so far."

"Me too."

They were quiet for a while, returning to watching the flames.

The silence gave Serena room to think. She wondered if _she_ knew what she was getting herself into. There was so much to think about. The possibilities seemed endless.

She remembered what Ash told her about how he wouldn't have known what to do if he had actually won the league. Though she thought it sounded silly at the time, now she understood how he felt.

It was still surreal. Her fingers were intertwined with Ash's, her lips had touched his, and her feelings for him were finally known by everyone. It felt impossible. It felt like the most obvious, natural thing in the world, and like she was completely lost at the same time.

It was all so much. Her heart throbbed with every glance at him. She couldn't bear the thought of being away from him. She wondered if she would be swept away.

Was this all too good to be true? What would their future be? What did he think of all this? Did he feel the same way? Did he have the same fears? There was no way. Ash didn't think like that. What would he think of her worries? Would he understand at all? Would he think they were nothing? Did he have any idea what it was like to be inside her head?

Did he have any idea of the depth of her feelings for him?

Serena became aware of how tightly she was gripping Ash's hand when he gave hers a squeeze. She let their fingers separate.

"Are you okay?" said Ash.

"Yes, but…"

Serena paused. There were fifty ways she could have finished that sentence.

"But what?"

"What do we do now?"

"Huh?"

"What do we do after we leave this place? Where do we go?"

"I dunno."

Serena dreaded to say what she was about to say.

"You… have to go home to Kanto, don't you?"

Ash shifted his eyes away from her, then shut them. He nodded.

Serena's heart seized.

"I don't want to be without you," she said. "Not after all this. I can't be apart from you right now, not after we just got together. I can't do it. I can't."

"Come visit me, then. I'm sure everyone in Pallet Town would love to meet you."

"I don't know if my mom will let me do that. Not after she finds out about what happened here."

"Then I'll come visit you."

"I'm not even sure my mom would allow _that._ She may never let me out of the house again after she finds out what happened to me here."

Ash shrugged.

"Don't tell her, then."

"She's _going_ to find out. There's no way she can't. All of my belongings are gone! She's going to demand to know why!"

"Oh, yeah," Ash said, scratching his head. "Huh."

"What am I going to do? What's going to happen to us?"

"I'm not worried."

"I am! How can you not be?"

"I'm just not. I know we'll make it work."

"How, though? What are we going to do?"

"I dunno. I haven't really thought about it yet."

"Ash…"

Serena rubbed her forehead.

"I need to know," she said. "I have to have _something._ I've held onto nothing but hope for years. You have to give more than that."

"I'm sorry. I really don't have anything planned yet. I didn't expect this, you know?"

"I know," Serena said with a sigh. "I just wish we had more time to figure this out."

Ash reached for her hand again, and he slid his fingers between hers. Their eyes met. In the momentary pause, he smiled at her.

"We'll figure it out," he said. "We have forever, don't we?"

Serena's heart fluttered.

It was everything she ever needed to hear.

"I hope so."

"Wherever you go, I'm gonna be right beside you," said Ash. "I promise."

Serena pulled on his hand, and she pulled him into an embrace.

"Do you mean it?" she said. "Do you really, really mean it?"

"I do," said Ash. "I promise."

Serena rested her head on his shoulder.

"Then that's good enough for me."

They remained that way for some time. When Serena pulled away, she reached into Ash's bag and pulled out the envelope containing Aria's letter, plus a pen. She removed all the contents from the envelope, tucked the letter itself and the tickets back in the bag, then tore the envelope in half. She handed one half to Ash.

She sat down and crossed her legs. She thought for a moment, then crossed out the single _S_ on her piece of the envelope and began to write.

 _I will not worry about hiding the truth. I have nothing to hide anymore._

 _I will not worry about what my friends think of me. They are my friends for a reason, and they deserve honesty._

 _I will not worry about my lost belongings. They can all be replaced._

 _I will not worry about what my mother thinks about all this, or what she does because of it. She will not come between me and Ash._

 _I will not worry about my separation from Ash. It will not last forever, but we will._

Serena stopped to think for a moment. She held the tip of the pen to her mouth. There was more she was holding back, and she knew it. There was so much more.

 _I will not worry that Ash will never be able to be fully honest about his feelings._

 _I will not worry about whether or not Ash really wants me forever._

 _I will not worry that I love Ash more than he loves me._

 _I will not worry that Ash loves battles and adventure more than he could ever love anything else._

 _I will not worry that I am not good enough for him._

 _I will not worry that Aria was right about him._

Once more, she paused. She reached into Ash's bag again and pulled out the envelope that held Aria's list of worries. For a moment, she stared at it, then set it down in the sand.

 _I will not worry that Aria was wrong about me. I am selfless, I am compassionate, and I am everything good in this world. I am worthy of being loved._

 _I am enough._

Serena looked at the list in her lap. She folded it in half, hiding her worries from view. She had no use for them anymore.

She handed the pen to Ash.

"Your turn."

Ash took the pen. For a few minutes, he thought and scribbled, his tongue poking out from between his teeth.

When he was finished, he also folded his list, then stood. He offered his hand to Serena. Serena picked up the envelope that held Aria's list, then took Ash's hand. He helped pull her to her feet.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

Serena nodded.

Together, they stepped forward, worries in hand. With a final glance at them, they cast them all into the flames.

As Serena watched them smolder, it was like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

Ash put his arm around her. For a few minutes longer, they watched their worries turn to ashes and crumble away.

Serena leaned against Ash's shoulder. She sighed.

They had each other. That was good enough. It had to be.

Serena closed her eyes, and she kissed him. When she pulled away, she pressed her forehead against his, their noses touching.

"We'll figure it all out," she said. "We have all the time in the world."

She kissed him again, then led him away by the hand.

They joined the others by the water. It was their last night together in the city, but the night was young. In their memories, this night would last forever.

The story of their lives was just beginning.

* * *

 **THE END**


End file.
